Neil Morrice brings you all of his best bets and tips for Saturday’s racing coming your way from Sandown Park, Haydock Park, Leicester, Doncaster and Wolverhampton.
SANDOWN PARK
Race 1 No5 ON TO VICTORY (Each Way)
Trainer: Alan King – Jockey: Tom Cannon
Apart from an underwhelming effort in the competitive Betfair Hurdle at Newbury, ON TO VICTORY has done little wrong this season. One of the few horses from his stable to sport a sheepskin noseband, he came off the Flat to land a maiden hurdle at Wincanton and hacked up on his latest start at Warwick. He is going to be suited by the way this race is run and should get into the money at the very least.
Race 4 BET365 GOLD CUP HANDICAP CHASE (Grade 3)
No9 GOLAN FORTUNE
Trainer: Phil Middleton – Jockey: Tom Scudamore
The old Whitbread has produced its share of novice winners and that label can be safely attached to GOLAN FORTUNE who is having just a fifth outing over fences. Winner on chase debut at Ludlow, he needs to prove his poor run in the Midlands National to be all wrong, but I think he can. He’s a horse that needs to be ridden competitively from on or near the front,and if his jockey is more adventurous than was the case at Uttoxeter he can take home a cheque. Kitty’s Light is a second season chaser and a winner of three of his last four races over fences. He appears to have been laid out for this. Enrilo is an eye-taking mount for newly crowned champion jockey Harry Skelton who teams up with his father Dan’s old boss Paul Nicholls. The seven-year-old is going to take out a good amount of the betting handle on the contest, as will the out of form Irish challenger Plan Of Attack. The latter represents the De Bromhead/Blackmore combination and has to be respected, while at a huge price Checkitout could play a part if freshened by a three week break since disappointing at Haydock.
Prediction: 1st GOLAN FORTUNE, 2nd Kitty’s Light, 3rd Enrilo, 4th Plan Of Attack, 5th Checkitout
Race 6 No4 NOT THAT FUISSE
Trainer: Dan Skelton – Jockey: Harry Skelton
Respect is afforded to Belargus whose trainer Nick Gifford would love to win the race that honours his father, but slight preference is for NOT THAT FUISSE about whom Dan Skelton was complimentary earlier in the week. The selection ran well n the Grand Annual at Cheltenham before succumbing to Nietzsche by just a neck at Ayr.
Race 7 No4 L’HOMME PRESSE
Trainer: Venetia Williams – Jockey: Miss Lucy Turner
Cascova takes the eye but could well scratch from the race if it doesn’t rain. That would make the task facing L’HOMME PRESSE somewhat easier and this former French-trained gelding is a fascinating candidate based on the ease of his debut success under Rules at Chepstow where under today’s amateur pilot he thrashed Getaway Luv by two lengths short of a distance.
HAYDOCK PARK
Race 2 No9 MARSHAL DAN (Each Way)
Trainer: Heather Main – Jockey: Martin Dwyer
Regular winner MARSHAL DAN chased home Eaton College on his reappearance at Musselburgh, a run that should have brought him nicely to the boil. He has a good chance of making this a fourth success from his last eight outings.
LEICESTER
Race 5 No2 DANCING KING
Trainer: Mark Johnston – Jockey: Silvestre De Sousa
Although competing from a stone higher mark from that which he started the campaign, DANCING KING is taken to complete a fine hat-trick. His all-weather wins at Wolverhampton and Kempton have been gained with a cosiness that suggests he could prevail in this tricky four-cornered affair.
DONCASTER
Race 1 No6 MAHALE
Trainer: Mick Channon – Jockey: George Bass
MAHALE hasn’t enjoyed the rub of the green in a busy campaign, and there would be no more deserving a winner. She’s been thwarted by poor draws but took a step forward when third on a switch to grass at Windsor last time.
WOLVERHAMPTON
Race 1 No10 STREET POET
Trainer: Michael Herrington – Jockey: John Shinnick
STREET POET cruised home over an extended mile and is in a good place to follow up on this drop back to seven. He looked very good value for that success, and can defy a 4lb penalty.
Race 7 No6 GIVEPEACEACHANCE
Trainer: Denis Coakley – Jockey: Laura Pearson
Dual purpose mare GIVEPEACEACHANCE a has been in good form over hurdles, winning at Fontwell and finishing second at Warwick. She is a strong traveller who should enjoy the make and shape of this race, and has a top apprentice doing the steering.
Place Accumulator Perm (Races 1-7)
10 x 3 x 7, 5 x 10, 3, 9 x 1, 3 x 3, 8 x 6, 5
R96
