Neil Morrice brings us all of his best bets and tips for Friday’s racing taking place at Dundalk (including video analysis), Cheltenham, Newcastle and Southwell.
DUNDALK
Race 1: No1 – HALA JOUD (Nap)
Trainer: Joseph O’Brien – Jockey: Declan McDonagh
Belardo filly HALA JOUD put down some useful foundations when troubling the judge on debut at Navan, finishing a length and a quarter third to Colfer Kay with the rest well beaten off. She will come on a bundle for that and has trained well on an all-weather surface at home.
Race 3: No5 – PUNK POET
Trainer: Eddie Lynam – Jockey: Shane Crosse
Helen De Pourtales has done us a favour here but it might be worth taking on this hat-trick seeker with PUNK POET. The selection has an appealing profile and appears to be getting better with racing. His last two outings have seen him take big jumps up the distance ladder here, and he shouldn’t mind dropping back to a mile after being chinned over a mile and a quarter last time.
Race 4: No12 – PEARLS GALORE
Trainer: Paddy Twomey – Jockey: Billy Lee
Everything points to a huge run from PEARLS GALORE who since moving to this stable hasn’t put a foot wrong. The Invincible Spirit filly easily broke her maiden at Limerick; followed up with a wide margin triumph in a Cork handicap; then went down by just half a length to Champers Elysees in a Group 3 at Gowran. Dropping into Listed company for this slightly longer Cooley Fillies Stakes, she sets the standard as the one to beat.
Race 5: No12 – BLUE SHADOW (Each Way)
Trainer: Andy Oliver – Jockey: Conor Hoban
Brinjal looks to be running into form and can have a big say in this but the less exposed BLUE SHADOW also makes considerable appeal. Well drawn, he belied his 33-1 starting price when third to Alghazaal on Polytrack debut which in itself was a step up from anything shown previously. It should have teed him up for another big run today.
CHELTENHAM
Race 5: No1 – DOES HE KNOW (Nap)
Trainer: Kim Bailey – Jockey: David Bass
Locally trained DOES HE KNOW has impressed on successive outings at Ludlow and this course to make him very much the one to beat in this Grade 2 novices’ hurdle. The penalised selection has his tail up, and with his stable in cracking form will be very hard to beat.
Race 6: No5 – PANIC ATTACK
Trainer: David Pipe – Jockey: Tom Scudamore
Having had the misfortune to run into Vegas Blue on her Huntingdon reappearance, PANIC ATTACK then made no mistake at Uttoxeter when coming home unchallenged. The Canford Cliffs filly can give a good account on handicap debut with track, trip, and ground all in her favour.
NEWCASTLE
Race 2: No12 – ESPOIR MORIVIERE
Trainer: Rose Dobbin – Jockey: Conor O’Farrell
Hat-trick seeker ESPOIR MORIVIERE returned from a seven-month absence to get home by the skin of his teeth in a handicap hurdle at Ayr which meant he wasn’t dealt too hard a blow by the assessor. He looked by far the best horse in the way he travelled and dug deep into his reserves to put the race to bed. He’s getting weight from the majority of his foes and can outpoint Viking Ruby.
Race 4: No11 – RUBYTWO (Nap)
Trainer: Nicky Richards – Jockey: Danny McMenamin
Perennial bridesmaid RUBYTWO is given a final chance to convert over jumps in this mares’ maiden hurdle. A Kelso bumper winner more than two years ago, she has been denied a couple of times in handicap and novice hurdles at that course but should find the flatter Gosforth Park a more suitable terrain.
SOUTHWELL
Race 1: No6 – HUGO’S REFLECTION
Trainer: Ben Case – Jockey: Daryl Jacob
HUGO’S REFLECTION jumped well and enjoyed himself for much of the journey before getting tired and fading into third behind Mine’s A Pint at Fontwell. As that was the gelding’s first run in nine months he’s entitled to come on for it and has a good chance of taking out this three-mile handicap chase at the main expense of Classic Escape.
Race 3: No4 – EL KALDOUN (Nap)
Trainer: Nicky Henderson – Jockey: Jerry McGrath
Forcing tactics worked a treat for EL KALDOUN when he jumped his rivals silly at Hexham. The form was boosted when the second went in on its next start, while the six-year-old now enjoys the move up to three miles. He made ground at almost every fence on that comeback and certainly wasn’t stopping at the finish.
Race 5: No2 – HOOPER
Trainer: Nicky Henderson – Jockey: Jerry McGrath
HOOPER is greatly respected in this maiden hurdle after a narrow defeat on his jumps debut at Market Rasen. A Stratford bumper scorer in September, he couldn’t quite peg back market rival Copperless after rallying strongly on the run in. It was a solid enough effort and should have taught him something.
Race 7: No5 – IMPERIAL ACOLYTE
Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies – Jockey: J Nailor
The jury is out regarding IMPERIAL ACOLYTE’s ability to take advantage of this return to hurdling, which follows three failures to finish over fences. His past wind problems appear to be history, but the gelding needs a confidence-boosting win before going back over the larger obstacles.
