Neil Morrice best bets and tips – Saturday 08 October 2022

NEWMARKET 

Race 1 Godolphin Flying Start Zetland
Stakes ( Group 3)

No7 METAL MERCHANT (Each Way)
Trainer: Mick Channon – Jockey: Rossa Ryan

In an opener that could throw up a shock, Channon has a good line for METAL MERCHANT onto GALACTIC JACK through his colt Rathgar, who heads for Goodwood tomorrow. METAL MERCHANT takes a big step up the ladder from his success in an Ayr nursery, but he’s made great strides at home subsequently and can earn at a working man’s price. Godolphin’s FLYING HONOURS has the best form to bring to the table but is out quickly after disappointing in the Royal Lodge here, while another roughie that could raise his game is BATEMANS BAY, who landed some good bets when opening his account at Haydock.

Race 3 DARLEY DEWHURST STAKES (Group 1)

No6 NOSTRUM
Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute – Jockey: Richard Kingscote

This looks the most exciting colt’s race we’ve seen this season, with Godolphin’s NAVAL POWER putting a four race unbeaten record on the line against the exciting NOSTRUM. The former extended his haul by taking out a second Listed race in succession at Haydock, a fine effort but one he needs to step up on now contesting this sizzling Group 1. NOSTRUM has benefitted from positive rides to land both his races at Haydock and this course with plenty under the bonnet. He looks uncomplicated, has all the gears and knows how to get the job done. It’s interesting that his regular pilot Ryan Moore is contracted to ride AESOP’S FABLES, who after a couple of snug successes in Ireland blotted his copybook when beaten into fourth by Al Riffa in the National Stakes at the Curragh. It wouldn’t be a total surprise to see ROYAL SCOTSMAN raise his game as he was found to have had issues around the time he flopped in the Gimcrack, though a more obvious threat to the selection is CHALDEAN, a most impressive winner of Doncaster’s Champagne Stakes for Andrew Balding.

Prediction: 1st NOSTRUM, 2nd Chaldean, 3rd Royal Scotsman

Race 4 Club Godolphin Cesarewitch Handicap

No10 ZOFFEE (Each Way)
Trainer: Hugo Palmer – Jockey: Frankie Dettori

If this second leg of the Autumn Double is run at a decent clip it will suit strong travellers and one such horse is former chaser ZOFFEE. Aside from an underwhelming run in the Goodwood Stakes the six-year-old has acquitted himself well throughout the season, latterly finishing third to Alfred Boucher in a Class 2 at York’s Ebor Festival. He was hampered at a crucial stage, and while not counting as an unlucky loser would have finished closer to the winner, who boosted the form by finishing second in the Ebor itself. Nicky Henderson bids to bolster his good record in this with AHORSEWITHNONAME. We haven’t seen the lightly-raced seven-year-old since he won at York in May, but the gelding has shown on more than one occasion that he’s fully effective coming back from a lay off.

The Charles Byrnes-trained RUN FOR OSCAR is another that appears to have been laid out for the race and was impressive in landing some good bets at Haydock. His compatriot GIBRALTAR also needs close inspection on his attempt to complete a hat-trick for Wille Mullins, while HMS PRESIDENT was beaten in a head bob at Doncaster and could get into the shake-up, though he appeals as place rather than win material.

Prediction: 1st ZOFFEE, 2nd Run For Oscar, 3tf Gibraltar, 4th Ahorsewithnoname, 5th HMS President

Race 7 Musar Darley Stakes (Group 3)

No9 ALFLAILA (Nap)
Trainer: Owen Burrows – Jockey: Jim Crowley

The one that seems to be progressing fastest in this interesting finale is ALFLAILA. The Dark Angel colt suffered a blip at Royal Ascot but has subsequently done everything asked of him, displaying a telling turn of foot to land a Listed race at Pontefract and the Strensall Stakes at York in which he looked better the further he travelled. That augers well for him enjoying the extra furlong he encounters today. The one that might cause him problems if on a going day is REGAL REALITY, while PRIMO BACIO is capable of improvement in spite of finding it hard to win.

YORK

Race 1 No3 POL ROGER (Each Way)
Trainer: Michael Dods – Jockey: Phil Dennis

One of the better nurseries run in the North this year can fall to POL ROGER. The son of Churchill displayed a good attitude when scoring at Haydock and Thirsk, and might have run into one when proving no match for Metal Merchant on his handicap debut at Ayr. He emerged as clear best of the rest in that warm-looking contest, and is fancied to bounce back at the main expense of X J Rascal and Surely Not.

Race 5 No4 FEUD (Nap)
Trainer: Ralph Beckett – Jockey: Danny Tudhope

Dubawi colt FEUD is among half-a-dozen that bring earning form to the table in this maiden. He was easy to back for that debut at Newbury, yet kept on in promising fashion to take home a minor cheque behind Exoplanet. His trainer is enjoying a rich harvest with his back-end maidens, and has been pleased with the progress of this horse since that first foray onto the track.

Race 6 No7 WHITEHAVEN (Each Way)
Trainer: Hughie Morrison – Jockey: Jason Hart

There’s going to be some cut in the ground on the Knavesmire, and the more the better for WHITEHAVEN who discovered a rich vein of form that saw him land a fine hat-trick at this time last season. His canny trainer has afforded the Le Havre gelding a quiet campaign with only two runs in 2022, but that kid glove approach can reap rich dividends in the soft ground that awaits him through the autumn.

Race 7 No12 FIRST IMPRESSION (Each Way)
Trainer: John Quinn – Jockey: Jason Hart

On what could be a good day for this stable, FIRST IMPRESSION holds a big earning chance in a hugely competitive Class3. Important to his chance is that he is full of confidence after hacking up at a lower level at Ayr. He travelled beautifully close to the pace that day, and looked to score with plenty up his sleeve.

CHEPSTOW

Race 5 No7 BOURBALI
Trainer: Joe Tizzard – Jockey: Brendan Powell

The ground has restricted field sizes for what is usually the best early fixture in the jumps calendar. That’s with the exception of this featured Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle, in which BOURBALI can come out on top. The Sinndar gelding ended last season on a winning streak comprising visits to Sandown and back-to-back Plumpton triumphs. He has the beating of Unanswered Prayers on the latest of those runs, and looked much more effective when moved up to today’s distance of two and a half miles.

Race 6 No4 BAGHEERA GINGE (Nap)
Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies – Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies

Some of last season’s best juveniles turn out for this limited handicap hurdle, in which BAGHEERA GINGE is a horse I’m looking forward to seeing back in the fray. He impressed when breaking his maiden at Stratford and when following-up at Newton Abbot, will have a fitness edge on many of his foes and should have more to offer.

CHELMSFORD CITY

Race 1 No8 WALL STREET CRASH (Nap)
Trainer: John Quinn – Jockey: James Sullivan

Churchill colt WALL STREET CRASH chased home the useful Tribal Hunter after attracting support on his debut at Hamilton. By a go-to stallion and out of a mare that has thrown up decent winners, he will be more streetwise for this switch to sand over a longer trip that should also suit.

Race 8 No5 TRAVESURAS
Trainer: Charlie Fellowes – Jockey: Harry Davies

Bred to enjoy the all-weather surfaces, TRAVESURAS upped his game to gamely land a Class5 over course and distance last month. The performance added weight to his consistency, and in an admittedly tight-knit contest he has strong claims to follow-up.

Place Accumulator Perm (Races 2-8)

7, 2, 3 x 5, 3 x 4, 7, 1 x 3, 9 x 2, 5 x 1 x 5, 4

R144