Neil Morrice brings us all of his best bets and tips for Friday’s racing coming your way from Musselburgh, Chelmsford, Lingfield Park.
MUSSELBURGH
Race 1 No6 SASHENKA (Nap)
Trainer: Michael Scudamore – Jockey: Richie McLernon
Having bled through the nose at Catterick last time, SASHENKA can now show what a fine effort she put in to chase home the smart Anythingforlove. She’d previously filled the same position behind Little River Bay at Wincanton, and given that rival’s fine win under a double penalty at Newbury on Wednesday her form stamps her as the one to beat.
Race 4 No4 TOMMY’S OSCAR
Trainer: Ann Hamilton – Jockey: Danny McMenamin
With two successes and a second from as many outings since leaving the point-to-point arena, TOMMY’S OSCAR can now make an immediate impact switched to handicaps. He’s unbeaten over hurdles in Britain and doesn’t appear to have been given an onerous mark for this admittedly more difficult assignment.
Race 7 No13 ARTHUR’S SEAT
Trainer: a Keith Dalgleish – Jockey: Sean Quinlan
Four-year-old ARTHUR’S SEAT gets a handy weight for age allowance from his foes to make him a tempting prospect for the concluding bumper. The Flemensfirth gelding can also play the experience card, having impressively landed a Huntingdon bumper and debut and followed it with a second to Masaccio in a better race at Doncaster.
CHELMSFORD CITY
Race 3 No1 RAASEL
Trainer: Mike Appleby – Jockey: Alistair Rawlinson
Appleby does well with his cast offs from other stables and RAASEL can prove a case in point by delivering after a 14-month absence. He’d looked more than useful in scoring on debut at Bath and finishing third in a better race at Newmarket on his only two outings as a juvenile, and given his trainer’s penchant for getting horses like this back, has to be taken seriously.
Race 6 No5 SECRET VICTORY (Nap)
Trainer: Charlie Appleby – Jockey: Tom Marquand
It’s no surprise to see Marquand enjoying the fruits of his stellar 2020 season by riding for Godolphin in the UK during the Meydan Carnival. In this all-aged handicap he can deliver a knock-out punch with SECRET VICTORY. The Dubawi gelding was backed as if defeat was out of the question when opening his account at Kempton before Christmas and is strongly fancied to follow-up.
Race 7 No5 THE CINCINNATI KID
Trainer: Alan King – Jockey: Tom Marquand
Although flopping on hurdles debut at Fakenham, THE CINCINNATI KID remains a horse to take seriously on the Flat, having scored over a mile and threequarters here in the autumn. He’s getting plenty of weight from his older rivals and can stamp his authority freshened up by a short break.
LINGFIELD PARK
Race 4 No4 STREAMLINE
Trainer: Clove Cox – Jockey: Adam Kirby
STREAMLINE has a bit of work to do to turn round recent Kempton placings with Above, but there are solid reasons why he can. The Due Diligence colt had been off for almost 16 months when beaten only two lengths by the winner Tranchee in that race, signalling he’d retained much of his old ability that saw him win three of his four outings as a juvenile.
Race 7 No1 CLAY (Nap)
Trainer: Richard Hannon – Jockey: Kieren O’Neill
On all-weather debut CLAY can show an aptitude for the Polytrack surface and take out the nightcap. The Sixties Icon colt was badly in need of his first outing last year but put in a much more encouraging effort to finish third on his final start at Chepstow. He is bred to greatly appreciate the step up to a mile and a quarter.
