Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Friday’s racing coming your way from Newmarket, Haydock Park, Worcester and Newcastle on 29 September 2023.
NEWMARKET
Race 1 No6 POTAPOVA (Nap)
Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute – Jockey: Ryan Moore
Connections of POTAPOVA will be relieved to have found some quicker ground for their talented but luckless mare at this relatively late stage of the season. Since finishing third at a similar level at Sandown the daughter of Invincible Spirit has had to skip an opportunity owing to unsuitable going, but everything looks right for a huge run today.
Race 2 PRINCESS ROYAL AL BASTI EQUIWORLD, DUBAI STAKES (Group 3)
No7 RUNNING LION
Trainer: John Gosden – Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Gosden has two powerful strings to his bow in a fascinating distaffers’ prize, and though hat-trick seeker SWEET MEMORIES can’t easily be discounted under Frankie Dettori, RUNNING LION might have her measure. The selection was on a four race roll when refusing to enter the gate in the Oaks, and just didn’t show up in the Prix de Diane (French Oaks) at Chantilly. But her staying on second to State Occasion at Sandown was encouraging to a point, and suggests she can give more now moved up to a mile and a half.
Race 3 AL BASTI EQUIWORLD, DUBAI ROCKFEL STAKES (Group 2)
No2 CARLA’S WAY
Trainer: Simon Crisford – Jockey: James Doyle
Unbeaten fillies Spiritual and Shuwari are bred to enjoy the seven furlongs of this always informative Group 2, but even though she’s been beaten twice CARLA’S WAY has arguably the best form. A clear-cut scorer on her Doncaster debut, she put in a midfield finish in Royal Ascot’s Albany before chasing home Darnation in the Prestige Stakes at Goodwood. The Starspangledbanner filly impressed in her winding-up gallop for this and carries plenty of stable confidence to post.
Race 4 AL BASTI EQUIWORLD DUBAI JOEL STAKES (Group 2)
No2 CHINDIT
Trainer: Richard Hannon – Jockey: Pat Dobbs
Respect is afforded to last year’s winner MUTASAABEQ who is a four times scorer on the Rowley course and only once beaten here, and that in the 2021 Guineas.
However, since returning with a Listed success at Ascot CHINDIT has done little wrong, finishing second in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes and more recently taking out the Superior Mile and Haydock and the Fortune Stakes at Sandown. Bound for stallion duties in India next year, he will be a prized asset to that country’s breeding programme, while his owner is not averse to the possibility of taking him to race on the Australian circuit later in the year. He has a very good turn of foot, and will love the uphill climb to the winning line.
HAYDOCK PARK
Race 4 No3 DUE FOR LUCK (Nap)
Trainer: John Quinn – Jockey: Jason Hart
Connections of DUE FOR LUCK can count themselves unlucky not to have seen the Due Diligence gelding complete a hat-trick at Chester, and to remain unbeaten. Well named, he might have prevailed given a slice of racing real estate rounding the home turn on that nursery debut, and can demonstrate the fact by bouncing back with a victory over CURIOUS ROVER.
Race 6 No5 LUCKY’S DREAM
Trainer: Ben Brookhouse – Jockey: Rossa Ryan
With frame finishes in all but one of his five starts since joining Brookhouse, LUCKY’S DREAM has more than hinted that he’s ready to notch a first success in two years. The eight-year-old has been round the block a few times, but can score in this belated first-ever visit to Haydock.
WORCESTER
Race 3 No9 FLYING FORTUNE (Nap)
Trainer: Peter Bowen – Jockey: Sean Bowen
FLYING FORTUNE is a rare commodity for hurdling in the sense that she’s a filly taking on mainly older males including paper favourite Mylesfromwicklow. To her credit she has run well in each of her four starts in bumpers, opening her account at Stratford and following up at Haydock where she was very impressive. She’s been well tutored for this switch to jumps, and in receipt of 10lb from her market rival can take the spoils.
Race 6 No5 CARDANO
Trainer: Ben Brookhouse – Jockey: Eddie Edge
CARDANO is a fascinating contender for a first outing over jumps in 20 months, as he returned from a wind operation to score on the Flat at Epsom earlier in the month, signalling any breathing issues have been firmly fixed. The seven-year-old will enjoy good assistance from the saddle, and though faced with a number of in-form opponents can make short work of them.
NEWCASTLE
Race 5 No7 BERNIE THE BEAR (Nap)
Trainer: Richard Fahey – Jockey: Oisin Orr
BERNIE THE BEAR gained a deserved success on this surface at Wolverhampton to top a sequence of earning efforts. He faces a bunch of mainly out-of-form opponents and although up in the weights is the logical answer.
Race 6 No3 MAWADA
Trainer: Richard Fahey – Jockey: Oisin Orr
The same trainer/jockey combo can take out this fillies’ handicap with MAWADA, who troubled the judge on each of her starts at two, and catches the eye on a first start in more than a year, and on handicap debut.
Place Accumulator Perm (Races 2-8)
4, 2 x 2, 9, 3 x 6 x 7 x 3, 7, 5 x 6, 2, 9 x 9, 1, 2, 6
R216
