Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Friday's racing coming your way from Fontwell Park, Ascot, and Newcastle on 4 October 2024.
ASCOT
Race 5 No6 FERROUS (Nap)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Tom Marquand
FERROUS did us a couple of good turns at the beginning of the season but hasn’t had things go his way in four subsequent outings.
They included a defeat in the Wokingham in which the grey appeared to lose interest when impeded, while at Kempton last time his pilot made the mistake of not allowing him to make his challenge down the centre of the track, where the surface was running quicker.
Beaten only two lengths into fifth that day, he’s had this on his radar for a while, and moved beautifully in his final blow out earlier in the week.
Race 6 No12 THYER
Trainer: Marco Botti – Jockey: Hollie Doyle
Married couple Doyle and Tom Marquand could fight this out with THYER just preferred to TAREEFA. The horses are peas out of the same pos in that they are lightly raced but go into battle chasing down hat-tricks.
The selection got home by a whisker on his first run out of the Botti stable at Windsor but is entitled to improve from it, as it was his first outing in more than a year.
FONTWELL PARK
Race 2 No3 REACH FOR THE MOON
Trainer: Jamie Snowden – Jockey: Gavin Sheehan
REACH FOR THE MOON is a fascinating jumps prospect for the King and as a Group3 winner on the Flat needs following. That Solario Stakes success happened more than three years ago, but the gelding has taken well to hurdles as he showed with a wide margin success at Worcester in the summer.
It appears that he’s retained much of his ability, while he’s a well balanced horse who should handle this figure-of-eight track.
Race 4 No5 STREAM OF STARS
Trainer: Nogel Twiston-Davies – Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies
From a stable amongst the winners, STREAM OF STARS shook off a lengthy and enforced absence to score on his reappearance at this course four weeks ago. He’s taken those exertions in his stride, and with a follow-up success can spark a good day for his connections.
Race 5 No2 LORD OF CHESHIRE (Nap)
Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies – Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies
LORD OF CHESHIRE will need to be on the case on this first outing over fences, but if getting an early handle on the lead can prove hard to peg back. He’s schooled proficiently, and showed with a success on his return to action last season that he doesn’t take much getting ready, and is very effective when fresh.
Race 7 No7 BROUGHSHANE
Trainer: Jonjo O’Neill – Jockey: Jonjo O’Neill Jr
A market watch is advised on BROUGHSHANE in the colours of Derrick Smith’s wife Gay. The six-year-old engaged in a largely educational first season over hurdles in which he posted a couple of minor placings, but now switched to handicaps he could have plenty more to offer.
NEWCASTLE
Race 1 No3 KINETIC (Nap)
Trainer: James Owen – Jockey: S D Bowen
Kodiac filly KINETIC has been in tremendous form, with four successes from her last five outings and all since joining the burgeoning Owen stable. She’s two from three on Tapeta under his wing, and has a great chance to extend her impressive sequence as she came home unchallenged at Southwell for which a 6lb penalty shouldn’t stop her.
Race 5 No4 PORTORO
Trainer: Martin Dunne – Jockey: Darragh Keenan
PORTORO and Barossa are the two that immediately catch the eye as they simultaneously try to make it third time lucky following a couple of narrow defeats. PORTORO, a gelding by Breeders’ Cup winner Outstrip, can come out of top after outrunning his 33-1 odds at Kempton, while this is his first visit to Gosforth Park.
Race 8 No4 KYBER CRYSTAL
Trainer: Rebecca Menzies – Jockey: Kaiya Fraser
KYBER CRYSTAL hasn’t rested on her laurels and in this bottom grade spring carries a 5lb penalty for her Hamilton success two starts back. Under that penalty she subsequently chased home Royal Duke at Musselburgh but she is taking her racing well. The grey should earn on what is only her third ever run on the all-weather, but second at Gosforth Park.
Place Accumulator Perm (Races 3-9)
2 x 7, 9 x 4, 6 x 4, 3, 2 x 6, 1 x 4, 5 x 2, 5
R96
