Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Saturday’s racing coming your way from Ascot, Newmarket, York and Salisbury on 29 July 2023
ASCOT
Race 4 No5 BLESS HIM (Each Way)
Trainer: David Simcock – Jockey: Jamie Spencer
BLESS HIM brought home a cheque for the first time this season when fourth in the Bunbury Cup with a new jockey in his saddle. Jamie Spencer is back in the irons today and the combination can deliver their trademark ‘late show’ to trouble the judge in the most competitive heat on an excellent card.
Spencer is afforded the luxury from his midfield draw of deciding whether he joins the stands’ side or far side group. The selection enjoys a nice pull in the weights with FRESH, who beat him a head in the corresponding race 12 months ago.
He’s also better off with BIGGLES from Newmarket a fortnight ago, and both those foes are drawn low. ROPEY GUEST and ESCOBAR are others that can get into the shake-up.
Prediction: 1st BLESS HIM, 2nd Biggles, 3rd Fresh, 4th Ropey Guest, 5th Escobar.
Race 5 KING GEORGE VI AND QUEEN ELIZABETH QIPCO STAKES (Group 1)
No4 HUKUM (Nap)
Trainer: Owen Burrows – Jockey: Jim Crowley
This traditional mid summer highlight, the ‘King George’ has attracted one of its most competitive fields of recent years which is a refreshing development. Dominating the market are Epsom Derby winner and second AUGUSTE RODIN and KING OF STEEL. Only half a length separated them in the Premier Classic and in their own way both colts have subsequently endorsed the form.
Auguste Rodin was a 4-11 chance when adding the Irish Derby to his laurels, while King Of Steel readily took care of business in the King Edward VII Stakes over this course and distance in June. The remainder of the 11-strong field are older horses and distaffers. Coronation Cup winner EMILY UPJOHN is Frankie Dettori’s final King George ride and out to better her narrow defeat by Paddington in the Coral-Eclipse Stakes. PYLEDRIVER is on a hat-trick following his triumph in the corresponding race 12 months ago, and comeback success in the Hardwicke Stakes. WESTOVER had his confidence level boosted by a bloodless triumph in France but can’t beat Emily Upjohn on the book.
The one that might have experienced an extraordinary spate of improvement late in his racing life is HUKUM. A winner of ten of his sixteen career starts, the six-year-old was making a first appearance in almost a year when upsetting Desert Crown in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes at Sandown, and even though that is a Group 3 he produced the kind of stunning finish that can bring him riches today, and at a track where he is two from three.
Prediction: 1st HUKUM, 2nd Emily Upjohn, 3rd King Of Steel, 4th Auguste Rodin
Race 6 No3 ANCIENT WISDOM
Trainer: Charlie Appleby – Jockey: William Buick
In one of the best juvenile races run this season ANCIENT WISDOM can provide a timely filip for Godolphin. The son of Dubawi didn’t need to be at his best to supplement his Haydock debut triumph when a 1-6 chance at Newmarket. This graduation can see him again take care of business, at the main expense of Sunway.
Race 7 No10 LOWTON
Trainer: Ed Bethell – Jockey: Hollie Doyle
Cut in the ground is going to benefit LOWTON, one of only two three-year-olds in the field. The least experienced member of the party is by Pivotal, whose progeny relish easy conditions. It was by narrow margins that he got home at Leicester and Newcastle, but there could easily be more to come and his trainer excels with this type of individual.
NEWMARKET
Race 4 No2 CHAIRMANOFTHEBOARD (Each Way)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: James Doyle
CHAIRMANOFTHEBOARD and Doyle were finishing as well as anything up the final Hamilton hill in a Class2 last week, a run that suggests the seven-year-old is on the cusp of recording a first success since the autumn of 2021. Importantly the gelding will again experience cut in the ground, which is important to him.
Race 5 No5 SHEROOD
Trainer: Ed Walker – Jockey: James Doyle
SHEROOD earned for the first time in three starts when also obtaining a handicap mark at Haydock. That improved display put him right in the mix in this all-aged handicap in which he can thwart last week’s Newbury scorer Isle Of Jura.
YORK
Race 3 SKY BET YORK STAKES (Group 2)
No4 MY PROSPERO (Nap)
Trainer: William Haggas – Jockey: Tom Marquand
With three straight wins before this, both Alflaila and Mashhoor need respecting but they still need to improve in order to prevent MY PROSPERO notching a first success. This represents a notable class drop for the Nap, whose fourth in the Group 1 Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot suggests he’s as good as ever.
Race 4 No3 THE GOOD BISCUIT
Trainer: Mick Channon – Jockey: Daniel Muscutt
THE GOOD BISCUIT has graduated from opening his account in a humble seller to topping up in that part of the racing spectrum and he now enters the nursery division. The Sixties Icon colt swerved a good opportunity to complete a hat-trick in order to wait for this, and should have more to offer.
Race 5 No7 GOLDEN SHOT
Trainer: Sir Mark Prescott – Jockey: Luke Morris
In colours Prescott has enjoyed prolific success with, GOLDEN SHOT needs to be taken seriously. The Golden Horn gelding made great strides when being asked to step up the distance ladder on sand and was well supported in his two wins and a second in 2022. He returned to score a shade cosily at Ayr last week, showing that he promises to be just as good on turf as he was on the all-weather.
Race 7 No3 CHELSEA SQUARE (Each Way)
Trainer: Ralph Beckett – Jockey: Andrea Atzeni
CHELSEA SQUARE underwhelmed as a hot favourite on second start at Chepstow before picking up a minor cheque in Lowton’s race at Newcastle. The Exceed And Excel gelding jumps back onto turf with the assessor looking to have taken no chances with him, but could have more to offer. Lowton should give a good line to his prospects based on how he gets on in an earlier race at Ascot.
SALISBURY
Race 6 No4 GRAHAM (Nap)
Trainer: Richard Hannon – Jockey: Pat Dobbs
Getting raised by being beaten isn’t always the best formula for success when you are battling the handicapper, but GRAHAM had the third horse seven lengths behind him when second at Doncaster last time to make his figures 342122. He went up 3lb but is in good heart as he performs as the only bet on a tricky card.
WINDSOR
Race 4 No5 MONTAUK POINT (Nap)
Trainer: Martyn Meade – Jockey: George Wood
On her first start for the Meades, MONTAUK POINT readily took care of business at Salisbury two weeks ago. The former French-based filly relished getting her toe in on that turf debut and in similar conditions is a fascinating contender.
Jackpot Perm (Races 3-6)
7, 1 x 5 x 1, 3, 5, 7 x 5, 6, 1
R24
