Neil Morrice brings us all of his best bets and tips for Wednesday’s racing coming your way from Hereford, Wetherby, Kempton Park, Wolverhampton and Dundalk.
HEREFORD
Race 5 No1 CODED MESSAGE (Each Way)Trainer: Ben Case – Jockey: William Marshall
CODED MESSAGE has run well in better company on each of her last two outings and appeals as a value play to post a first triumph of the campaign. Her defeat by Molly Olly Wishes at Kempton has been heavily endorsed and there was no disgrace in her run behind the ultra smart Roksana at Ascot, where she was in contention until well into the home straight.
Race 6 No10 FRANKINCENSE (Nap)
Trainer: Chris Down – Jockey: J Anderson
Former Irish-based FRANKINCENSE appears to have turned a corner since his move to the West Country and especially since his new trainer re-equipped him with blinkers. He gained a clear cut win at Exeter back in November and returned from a break to chase home Will Sting at Warwick. He’s been given another gap between races and should prove competitive.
Race 7 No8 SANDY BROOKTrainer: Chris Gordon – Jockey: Tom Cannon
Sourced out of a good place in Ireland, SANDY BROOK ran well to get into the money on his debut under Rules at Plumpton. He’s bred to love testing conditions, being out of a mare by Turtle Island, and can only improve on that promising first effort.
WETHERBY
Race 1 No1 BALLYBEGG (Nap)
Trainer: Kerry Lee – Jockey: Richard Patrick
BALLYBEGG annihilated what was probably a weak bunch of foes at Hereford last month, but if turning out in similar mood should prove very hard to stop in this tougher race. He could be named the winner a long way out, and as that was only a second outing for his trainer he is likely to improve further. Without doubt the best bet on the card.
Race 2 No1 CHANTRY HOUSETrainer: Nicky Henderson – Jockey: Nico de Boinville
On paper CHANTRY HOUSE is the best horse in this, but the gelding nevertheless has to show he’s happy in his new role as a chaser. He fluffed his lines behind stablemate Fusil Raffles at Cheltenham before Christmas and only a convincing triumph backed up by sound jumping will be enough to bolster his chances at next month’s Festival.
Race 4 No1 UMBRIGADOTrainer: David Pipe – Jockey: Tom Scudamore
Seeing UMBRIGADO taking on a bigger field makes him an even more alluring proposition in his first handicap chase venture. He’s faced muddling gallops in two novice races since switching to fences and had to be shaken up to open his account at Fontwell. This course is going to be much more his cup of tea, he should travel granted a better pace and he can lay down a marker for the Grand Annual Challenge Cup at Cheltenham next month.
Race 5 No1 MIDNIGHT SHADOWTrainer: Sue Smith – Jockey: Ryan Mania
They say weight can stop trains, but I hope that doesn’t prove the case with the classy MIDNIGHT SHADOW in this competitive handicap hurdle. The eight-year-old has won a Grade 2 over hurdles and fences at Cheltenham, and after two runs over fences so far this season now returns to hurdles before his trainer decides which route to follow at next month’s Festival.
KEMPTON PARK
Race 2 No5 RAGING RASCALTrainer: Tom Ward – Jockey: Richard Kingscote
RAGING RASCAL’s debut effort on turf at Goodwood has worked out and makes him of considerable interest if able to transfer that ability to Polytrack. The Coulsty colt was a 66-1 no-hoper for that narrow defeat by Titan Rock and has trained well on a similar surface at home.
Race 8 No1 OWHATANIGHT (Nap)
Trainer: Mike Murphy – Jockey: Daniel Muscutt
OWHATANIGHT loved the deep surface at Southwell when running away with a race there earlier in the week. His two outings on Polytrack have been underwhelming, but in current mood it is far more likely that he will deliver as this doesn’t look the strongest of contests.
WOLVERHAMPTON
Race 5 No5 STEELRIVER (Each Way)|Trainer: Michael Herrington – Jockey: Tom Eaves
Multiple course winner STEELRIVER has shown he can win coming back fresh off a break and the veteran looks teed up for another earning run on what is essentially a trappy looking card at Dunstall Park today.
DUNDALK
Race 2 No7 GREAT MIDGE (Each Way)
Trainer: Maria Kelly – Jockey: Mark Enright
In spite of failing to find the winner’s circle in nine starts for his previous trainer, GREAT MIDGE ran several good races in defeat including three frame finishes over course and distance. The gigantic sprinter is worth supporting to raise his game on first start from another yard, and fresh off a two month break.
Race 3 No6 DOYOUTHINKSO (Nap)
Trainer: John Flavin – Jockey: Chris Hayes
Considering he’s out of a Green Desert mare, DOYOUTHINKSO showed abundant stamina to open his account on Polytrack debut at the start of the month. It was a fair step up on anything he’d shown previously, and gives the So You Think gelding a platform from which to further raise his game.
Race 4 No2 CHATEAU MUSARTrainer: John Geoghegan – Jockey: Chris Hayes
Hayes has an alluring book of rides and can also deliver on the in-form CHATEAU MUSAR. The selection has triumphed on two of his last four visits here, latterly running Flylikeaneagle to three-quarters of a length and he now steps up in trip, which judging by the way he runs is what he wants.
Race 6 No4 FLYLIKEANEAGLETrainer: Eamonn O’Connell – Jockey: Trevor Whelan
Hopefully Chateau Musar can put in a bold showing to bolster the chances of FLYLIKEANEAGLE here. The selection came out of the wilderness to prevail as a 66-1 roughie, but it was his first run at Dundalk, and he’s in the mood to show it was no fluke.
