Neil Morrice brings us all of his best bets and tips for Saturday’s racing coming your way from Newmarket, Newcastle and Lingfield Park.
Newmarket Best Bets
Race 2: No3 FAR ABOVE (Nap)
Trainer: James Tate – Jockey: PJ McDonald
The second major sprint on the card, the Group 3 Palace House Stakes, can fall to FAR ABOVE, who looks an exciting recruit to the older sprinting ranks. His colours were lowered only once in four outings last year, but importantly he has flourished through the close season and has worked in a manner that convinces his trainer he could be as good as stablemate Invincible Army, winner of a Group 2 at this stage last season. He’s won both with give in the ground and on a faster surface, and if running as well as he’s trained should prove very hard to beat.
Race 3 No5 QUEEN POWER
Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute – Jockey: Silvestre de Sousa
This Group 2 Dahlia Stakes has seen a huge ante-post plunge on Terebellum, but I fancy QUEEN POWER to give that filly plenty to think about. The selection impressively opened her account at Newbury before running well at Royal Ascot, then signed off with a disappointing run when favourite for a Group 3 at Windsor, the Winter Hill Stakes in late August. The key to Queen Power is that she’s been winning her gallops to indicate she’s progressed from age three to four, and it’s also worthy of consideration that her astute trainer has made a flying start to the campaign.
Race 5 Qipco 2,000 Guineas Stakes (Group 1)
No5 KAMEKO
Trainer: Andrew Balding – Jockey: Oisin Murphy
If there’s a chink in the armour of last season’s superb and unbeaten champion colt PINATUBO then KAMEKO could be the one to exploit it and take out the first Classic of the UK season. The Qatar Racing-owned colt hardly put a foot wrong himself in 2019, and though twice having his colours lowered signed off with a most convincing display in the Group 1 Vertem Futurity Trophy at Newcastle which he won by three and a half lengths from Innisfree.
He’s done particularly well physically through the winter, and with his trainer’s horses already cutting the mustard looks certain to give a good account. Pinatubo signed off his own season by trouncing ARIZONA by two lengths in the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes on this course in October. That followed an even more eye taking display when the Godolphin-owned colt landed the National Stakes at the Curragh.
According to his trainer Charlie Appleby, Pinatubo hasn’t grown much through the winter, and it will be interesting to see how he fares against stablemate AL SUHAIL who is very closely matched with a third Godolphin candidate in MILITARY MARCH. Al Suhail is the subject of favourable reports and has the look of a colt that is sure to run well and get into the money.
The Coolmore contingent is four-strong with Arizona looking to put behind him an underwhelming display at the Santa Anita Breeders’ Cup, but the reports from Aidan O’Brien are positive. Of the others from Ballydoyle ROYAL DORNOCH needs consideration, having edged out Kameko in the Royal Lodge Stakes here, when the latter possibly running too freely. A fast pace is guaranteed today, and that should suit KAMEKO as much as anything in the field.
Prediction:
1st KAMEKO
2nd Al Suhail
3rd Pinatubo
4th Military March
5th Arizona
Race 8 No1 LAZULI
Trainer: Charlie Appleby – Jockey: William Buick
A useful sprinting juvenile last year when he won the first two of his three outings, LAZULI has benefitted from a gelding operation together with wind surgery. He’s been mixing it with some good tackle on the Newmarket gallops to provide hope that he can defy top weight in this race over the last six furlongs of the Rowley course. His trainer is adept at readying this type of horse after a lengthy break.
Newcastle Best Bets
Race 4 Betway Sagaro Stakes (Group 3): No11 – WITHHOLD
Trainer: Roger Charlton – Jockey: Richard Kingscote
This is a complex puzzle with little collateral form lines to go on. Ispolini has served his connections admirably with successes in Dubai and the German St Leger at Dortmund; Prince Of Arran boasts winning form at Group 3 level in Australia; Mildenberger has excelled on Polytrack and is chasing a hat-trick while Royal Line is also proficient on sand at this level. However, this quartet could be trumped by WITTHOLD, who should be revved up and ready for battle with blinkers added. The strong front-runner never came back in the 2017 Cesarewitch and the following year’s Northumberland Plate and if on his A-game the same outcome is distinctly possible.
Race 5: No2 – PALACE PIER
Trainer: John Gosden – Jockey: Rab Havlin
Having cost his connections a king’s ransom as a yearling, PALACE PIER is giving them dreams of getting back that 600,000 guineas with interest. He’s an unbeaten winner of two seven furlongs races at Sandown who has his eyes on richer pickings at Royal Ascot next month. In order to go there, he needs to take this easily in his stride, and he should.
Race 7: No3 – IDENTIFIED
Trainer: Archie Watson – Jockey: Danny Tudhope
The Watson horses have made the positive start expected and IDENTIFIED can bolster the tally on racecourse debut. The son of Showcasing is bred to be quick and can earn a trip to Royal Ascot by showing his rivals a clean pair of heels.
Lingfield Park Best Bets
Race 1: No9 – MASHMOOM
Trainer: Saeed bin Suroor – Jockey: Dane O’Neill
MASHMOOM can take out the first twilight fixture of the season on her racecourse debut. The Muharram filly has winners dotted onto her pedigree and if avoiding greenness can make an immediate impact for her owners Godolphin. She’s shown plenty of ability in her work ahead of this low key introduction.
Race 2: No9 – EQUIPPED
Trainer: Mick Channon – Jockey: Charles Bishop
There’s plenty to like about EQUIPPED who turned a corner after undergoing wind surgery last autumn. She then races exclusively on the all-weather, placing at this course and Chelmsford before her breakthrough success before the lockdown at the end of February. Channon has kept her finely tuned in the last three months and she should be competitive.
Race 7: No7 – MR POY
Trainer: Hughie Morrison – Jockey: Charlie Bennett
If turning out again quickly after running at Kempton on Tuesday, MR POY can pay a compliment to First Receiver. He was no match for that impressive scorer but reverts to seven furlongs from a mile and will be fitter. His trainer would not chance him unless thinking this was an achievable mission and he can prove too strong for newcomer Lehwaiyla.
