Neil Morrice brings us all of his best bets and tips for Saturday’s racing coming your way from Doncaster, Lingfield Park and Kempton Park.
DONCASTER
Race 4 No:8 FERN HILL (Each Way)
Trainer: Ben Case – Jockey: Kieran Woods
Dual Wetherby scorer FERN HILL clearly loves the Yorkshire air and after back-to-back successes at that course can now make his mark with an earning run on Town Moor in this trial for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle. The Dylan Thomas gelding beat a good yardstick in Witness Protection, form boosted when that rival went on to score impressively at Chepstow. The selection hails from a small stable and will almost certainly be overpriced.
Race 5: No:4 CANELO
Trainer: Alan King – Jockey: Tom Cannon
The day’s feature can fall to CANELO, an upwardly mobile stayer who travels and jumps well, assets needed for this historic contest. In the colours of legendary gambler ‘JP’ McManus the eight-year-old has looked much improved since being equipped with cheek pieces, scoring at Aintree and Wetherby between a defeat by CAP DU NORD at Newbury. On revised terms and having suffered a subsequent defeat (albeit by the progressive Royal Pagaille) at Kempton, Cap Do Nord May struggle to confirm the Newbury placings. Of the longer-priced contenders BOLDMERE could stage a revival at a course he operates well on, while any support for the lightly-weighted MUSICAL SLAVE could also be worth checking out.
Prediction:
1st CANELO, 2nd Cap Du Nord, 3rd Musical Slave, 4th Boldmere
Race 6 No:2 SPECIAL ACCEPTANCE (Nap)
Trainer: Paul Webber – Jockey: Tom O’Brien
SPECIAL ACCEPTANCE gave it his all against the well-handicapped Seaston Spirit in the Sussex National at Plumpton, with the pair pulling clear of their foes. He’s another to have improved for the addition of cheek pieces, and with his sound jumping and strong travelling style should be ideally suited by the undulations of Town Moor.
LINGFIELD PARK
Race 2 No:1 YEAR OF THE DRAGON (Nap)
Trainer: William Knight – Jockey: Callum Shepherd
From a favourable draw, YEAR OF THE DRAGON can follow-up his success on debut for this stable at Kempton. The Dragon Pulse colt landed the odds laid on him in cozy fashion, and although carrying a 7lb penalty will be hard to stop.
Race 6 No:1 PIRATE KING
Trainer: Charlie Fellowes – Jockey: Kieran Shoemark
The losses sustained on PIRATE KING last week can be recouped with interest in this small field. The top weight put together a fine hat-trick here at this time last year, and though subjected to an enforced absence for much of 2020 is ready to deliver at his favourite course.
KEMPTON PARK
Race 1 No:1 KOEMAN
Trainer: Mick Channon – Jockey: George Bass
Bass takes 7lb off the back of KOEMAN a who has a good record at this course, winning once and placing four times from only six visits. He showed his well being with a win at Wolverhampton before Christmas and can now bounce back at the main expense of Vibrance and Charlie D.
Race 3 No:4 SOMETHING ENTICING
Trainer: David Elsworth – Jockey: Hollie Doyle
Although likely to start as the outsider in this four-cornered affair, SOMETHING ENTICING can live up to her name. She’s shown enough in her three outings to secure a handicap mark, to indicate that with first time headgear and a new jockey she can surprise recent scorer Muay Thai.
Race 5 No:4 HIGHLAND AVENUE (Nap)
Trainer: Charlie Appleby – Jockey: Tom Marquand
This is best left to the beautifully-bred HIGHLAND AVENUE, a son of Dubawi out of a Shamardal mare. The grey was turned over when odds-on for debut here but the form has worked out well, while he’s going to be all the better with that experience under his belt.
Race 8 No:1 MI LADDOTrainer: Milton Harris – Jockey: Callum Hutchinson
MI LADDO did us a favour when scoring over course and distance on Monday to maintain his consistent form since moving onto the all-weather from a jumps stable. He’s reported to have taken those exertions in his stride and can prove a bet worth waiting for.
