Neil Morrice brings us all of his best bets and tips for Saturday’s racing coming your way from Newmarket, Doncaster, York and Ascot. This includes video analysis of the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes, as well as the 2020 Vodacom Durban July!
ASCOT
Race 4: No10 – BLUE MIST (Nap)
Trainer: Roger Charlton – Jockey: Ryan Moore
BLUE MIST holds strong claims as the big handicap bad luck story of the season following his run in the Wokingham at Royal Ascot. The gelding started a well-backed favourite and travelled beautifully through the race only to experience continual traffic problems through the final furlong and a half. Charlton is a master in these valuable sprint handicaps and his charge lines up as the proverbial winner without a penalty.
Race 6: King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Group 1)
No4 – ENABLE
Trainer: John Gosden – Jockey: Frankie Dettori
History is in the making in the day’s feature, with ENABLE very hard to oppose in her bid to become the first horse to win this prestigious prize three times. The sporting decision by owner Khaled Abdullah to let the mare race on as a six-year-old has been rewarded with what is close to being a penalty kick for the daughter of Nathaniel. Earlier in the week, it looked likely that Aidan O’Brien would field as many as half a dozen against her, but with Magical staying in Ireland, the Coolmore contingent numbers only JAPAN, ANTHONY VAN DYCK and SOVEREIGN. Strong though that combined assault is, it’s doubtful that any will prove as troublesome to the odds-on Enable as Crystal Ocean did in this race 12 months ago. That hard race might have had a bearing on her defeat by Waldgeist in the Arc, while she met a Ghaiyyath on one of that horse’s going days when two and a quarter lengths second to him in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes at the start of the month. Japan is the shortest-priced of the O’Brien trio but needs to seriously raise his game after his third placing in the same race, while Anthony Van Dyck proved a disappointing favourite when out of the money in the Hardwicke Stakes at the Royal meeting. Sovereign landed the Irish Derby at 33-1 last year to prove that upsets can happen at Group 1 level, but the fact that he’s run only once since reflects his training issues, while he finished well behind Anthony Van Dyke and Japan in the Investec Derby.
Race 7: No12 – MEDIA STORM
Trainer: David Simcock – Jockey: Mark Dwyer
Unexposed three-year-old MEDIA STORM has the look of a well-treated candidate for this all-aged Class 3. The Night Of Thunder colt receives upwards of 5lb from his 11 rivals, going into bat after the narrowest of defeats by Inherent on his seasonal return at Kempton. Winner of his only juvenile start at Wolverhampton, he can successfully switch to grass on the way to better things.
NEWMARKET
Race 5: No3 – DECLARING LOVE
Trainer: Charlie Appleby – Jockey: James Doyle
DECLARING LOVE put in an eye taking performance when second to Stunning Beauty in a big field over course and distance earlier in the month. The daughter of Dubawi had also shaped well here on her only juvenile start and should make it third time lucky by holding the challenge of Defence Girl.
Race 7: No4 – THRAVE (Each Way)
Trainer: Mike Appleby – Jockey: Theo Ladd
Now with a third trainer, THRAVE has an opportunity to put his best foot forward on debut for a man that excels with acquisitions from other yards. He didn’t appear to benefit from the move from Henry Candy to Paul Nicholls but should be fit following a spin over hurdles for the latter at the start of the month. Appleby adds further spice to the equation by equipping the gelding with a first-time visor.
Race 9: No4 – NUITS ST GEORGES (Nap)
Trainer: David Menuisier – Jockey: Rossa Ryan
NUITS ST GEORGES has attracted support on both starts since returning from a break, winning gamely at Sandown before chasing home Vindolanda in a big field at Haydock. The key to this horse is his liking for some cut in the ground, and there is a prospect of heavy rain throughout the country through Saturday. It’s, therefore, a weather watch rather than a market watch required before moving in for a bet.
DONCASTER
Race 3: No3 – TINKER TOY
Trainer: Roger Varian – Jockey: David Egan
TINKER TOY landed some good bets on his debut at Salisbury, quickening up impressively to score by a wide margin. The War Front colt looks decent and is strongly fancied to follow-up under a 7lb penalty.
Race 7: No6 – HIBERNIAN WARRIOR (Nap)
Trainer: Roger Varian – Jockey: David Egan
A fascinating addition to the handicap ranks is HIBERNIAN WARRIOR, who showed abundant promise in his two juvenile outings at Newmarket and Lingfield. Short-headed by Fruition on the latter occasion, the War Front colt has developed both physically and mentally through the close season and lockdown. He faces some experienced foes but is ready to deliver.
Race 8: No6 – MISS MOROCCO (Each Way)
Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies – Jockey: Tom Queally
A cast off from the Gosden yard, MISS MOROCCO scored on her debut for Twiston-Davies at Southwell at the end of February. She enjoyed the deep Fibresand surface at that Nottinghamshire course and will most likely benefit from the rain that’s forecast to fall throughout the country on Saturday.
Race 9: No11 – SEA OF STYLE
Trainer: William Haggas – Jockey: Cieren Fallon
The beautifully-bred SEA OF STYLE takes the eye in this closing novice stakes, having given a good account on debut at Newbury. She stayed on into third behind Balzac after proving easy to back, suggesting there will be a fair bit of improvement to come from the daughter of Sea The Stars.
YORK
Race 3: No2 – SHADY McCOY (Each Way)
Trainer: Ian Williams – Jockey: Jim Crowley
SHADY McCOY came out of the wilderness aged 10 to post a first victory in almost three years at Haydock last month. Refreshed from a break, the gelding got the job done in a no-nonsense style, having badly lost his form through much of 2019. The assessor has had his say but buoyed by that return to form he can demonstrate his liking for the Knavesmire, on which he landed an identical handicap back in 2017.
Race 5: Sky Bet York Stakes (Group 2)
No5 – LORD GLITTERS (Nap)
Trainer: David O’Meara – Jockey: Danny Tudhope
At seven LORD GLITTERS is the old man of the party but there might still be a tune to be played from the grey at this level. On his first outing for almost eight months the gelding stayed on in eye taking style to finish fourth to Sussex Stakes-bound Mohaather in the Summer Mile at Ascot. Under an exaggerated hold up ride, he had a mountain to climb and did well to get into the money after turning into the short straight stone last. If that race has put the cutting edge on him, Lord Glitters can prove a surprise packet against the likes of Elarqam and last season’s Dante Stakes hero Telecaster.
Race 10: No7 – BAY OF WHISPERS
Trainer: Richard Hannon – Jockey: Silvestre De Sousa
BAY OF WHISPERS made great strides on her second start at Newbury when sent off at 25-1, but belied those odds to chase home Isabella Giles. With the Hannon horses running into serious form she holds the cards and should open her account.
