Neil Morrice brings us all of his best bets and tips for Friday’s racing coming your way from Newmarket, Bath, Market Rasen, and Musselburgh.
NEWMARKET
Race 3: No3 – MAGICAL LAND
Trainer: Charlie Appleby – Jockey: William Buick
Saeiqa finished third in the Coventry Stakes and sets the standard the others have to aim at but MAGICAL LAND carries a fair reputation himself and can exploit any weakness in the favourite. The son of Frankel couldn’t cope with Bright Devil on his introduction here but that was over six furlongs and he’ll be more at home over this seven.
Race 4: No2 – PRESIDENTIAL (Each Way)
Trainer: Roger Fell – Jockey: Ben Curtis
PRESIDENTIAL followed up his comeback win at Doncaster with a solid sixth in a Class 2 handicap at Royal Ascot when beaten four and a quarter lengths by Sir Busker. He started 40-1 that day but the layers will not take such a risk with him as he drops a notch on the class band.
Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes
Race 5: No2 – DANDALLA (Nap)
Trainer: Karl Burke – Jockey: Ben Curtis
Easily the most impressive two-year-old winner at Royal Ascot was DANDALLA in the Albany Stakes. The daughter of Dandy Man scored on debut at Newcastle and in that Group 3 was making her debut on turf, but she took to the surface like a duck to water. Her pilot settled her in rear and when going through the gears on the filly must have felt like he was at the controls of a racing car. She put the race to bed in the manner of a horse with Group 1 potential, and should find the step into this Group 2 comfortably within her compass. She’s exciting and can go all the way to the top.
Race 6: No15 – SEVERANCE
Trainer: Mick Channon – Jockey: Rob Hornby
This big field and the prevailing good to soft ground is what powerful galloper SEVERANCE wants to enable him to settle. He’s a keen goer but Hornby has partnered him on both starts this season when the gelding finished second at this course and then at Windsor. Last time the race cut up to only three runners and he started odds-on, but the ground was quicker than ideal for that defeat by Hyanna which is easily forgiven.
Race 7: No11 – KIPPS
Trainer: Hughie Morrison – Jockey: Ryan Moore
KIPPS is going to be a tough nut to crack in this competitive handicap as his trainer reaches for first-time blinkers on the grey. He looked sure to pick up Hukum at Royal Ascot after also being worried out of it by Walkonby on his reappearance at Haydock. The fact that he didn’t casts aspersions against his resolve. However, this smooth traveller remains unexposed and rates a strong betting proposition getting weight from the vast majority of his rivals.
Falmouth Stakes
Race 8: No5 – ONE MASTER
Trainer: William Haggas – Jockey: Pierre-Charles Boudot
ONE MASTER can’t have the ground soft enough, and with conditions in her favour can rubber-stamp her status as a Group 1 mare. Winner of the Prix de la Foret last autumn, she needed her comeback outing in the Diamond Jubilee at Royal Ascot when the Haggas team wasn’t firing in the manner it is now. She faces strong competition from Queen Anne Stakes second Terebellum here, but with Boudot an eye taking jockey booking she can rise to the occasion.
BATH
Race 7: No6 – COMPETITION (Nap)
Trainer: Mike Appleby – Jockey: Tom Marquand
COMPETITION was entitled to bolt up here at the start of the month and duly obliged under today’s in form pilot. The performance confirmed the improvement the gelding has found since his switch to the Appleby yard and the combination can follow-up in an admittedly harder race.
MUSSELBURGH
Race 6: No1 – DECONSO ( Nap)
Trainer: Chris Kellett – Jockey: Dougie Costello
DECONSO ran well under a big weight when fifth behind Outer Space at Leicester, having also shown his well being when placed on softer conditions at Haydock. He now finds himself in a lower grade classified with every chance of gaining an overdue return to the winner’s circle.
MARKET RASEN
Race 1: No1 – CRACKING DESTINY
Trainer: Alistair Whillans – Jockey Callum Bewley
CRACKING DESTINY has had an unorthodox preparation for this with a run behind Group winning filly Frankly Darling at Newcastle and a rare non-completion when unseating in a chase at Southwell. Back over hurdles, he can endorse the promise of last season when he won a handicap chase here and finished second in two others at the course. He then showed he can operate in novice hurdles by scoring on final start at Carlisle.
Race 4: No7 – DOGON
Trainer: Paul Nicholls – Jockey: Harry Cobden
Although cutting little ice since joining Nicholls after scoring on his chase debut at Fontainebleau, DOGON is worth chancing on his return from five months off. All his form so far in the UK has been over hurdles, and he might have been leniently assessed for this return to the larger obstacles.
Summer Plate Handicap Chase
Race 6: No2 – BAGS GROOVE
Trainer: Harry Fry – Jockey: Sean Bowen
This traditional highlight of the Market Rasen year can fall to BAGS GROOVE on his return from 15 months off and having a first outing after corrective wind surgery. Winner of a bumper and four hurdles, the nine-year-old developed into a top staying novice chaser with three successes in the autumn and early winter of 2018. He made a belated return last season to take out a Grade 2 novice chase at Kempton, before finishing 30 lengths adrift of Kalashnikov in a Grade 1 novices’ chase at the Aintree Grand National meeting where the breathing issues first manifested themselves. Take away that run and his form is rock solid, and he could easily outclass these foes, of which San Benedeto may prove the best.
