Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Saturday's racing coming your way from Ascot, Newmarket, Redcar, and Paris-Longchamp on 5 October 2024.
ASCOT
Race 1 No6 RELIEF RALLY
Trainer: William Haggas – Jockey: Cieren Fallon
Fillies often come to themselves at this time of the season which is one reason to side with RELIEF RALLY to confirm Group 3 placings from Newbury with Democracy Dilemma.
The selection was having just a third outing of the year when chasing home No Half Measures, and with her liking for easy conditions looks one to follow in the closing weeks of the campaign, starting in this Listed contest.
Race 2 BET MGM CUMBERLAND LODGE STAKES (Group 3)
No7 GATHER YE ROSEBUDS (Each Way)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Jamie Spencer
Al Aasy is closely matched with Al Qareem from their running in the Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury, but one that could outrun her expected long odds is GATHER YE ROSEBUDS.
The Zoffany filly has underwhelmed in two starts since taking out a Listed race at Goodwood, but will not wear a hood in this interesting contest after putting in her best work of the year on grass on Tuesday.
Race 3 JOHN GUEST RACING BENGOUGH STAKES (Group 3)
No6 JARRAAF
Trainer: Owen Burrows – Jockey: Saffie Osborne
Cut in the ground will benefit Vadream and Adaay In Devon but those distaffers might have to play a minor role if JARRAAF is as good as he’s looked on his two latest outings.
The Zoustar colt posted those success over course and distance, and had three previous winners in his wake when landing some fancy bets in a Class2 handicap in August. A winner of three of his five career starts, he impresses me as a Group horse that’s been masquerading as a handicapper.
Race 4 No17 VOLTERRA (Each Way)
Trainer: Kevin Ryan – Jockey: Shane Gray
Named after the renowned owner Leon Volterra, Farhh colt VOLTERRA can return to form and justify the long journey from North Yorkshire.
He ran out an impressive scorer on seasonal return at Newmarket in the spring, and though suffering a couple of subsequent blips looked firmly on the way back when second in a similar race at the York Ebor Festival. He can build on that by parrying the challenges of FRESH, QIRAT and GERMANIC.
Race 5 No1 ELIM (Nap)
Trainer: Ed Bethell – Jockey: Callum Rodriguez
ELIM is back in a Listed race after going close in a Doncaster Group 3 in which she had Queen Of Mougins and Key To Cotai in her wake.
The daughter of Make Believe ran well in the Kensington Palace Handicap on her first run at this track in June, and with conditions in her favour can justify her billing as the best bet on the card.
NEWMARKET
Race 1 No8 ASHARIBA
Trainer: David Menuisier – Jockey: Harry Davies
In a fiercely competitive fillies’ handicap ASHARIBA should have a big say. The daughter of Ribchester has delivered on three of her five starts this season, and though 6lb higher than when scoring at Kempton could have plenty more to offer whilst setting up a good day for her in-form stable.
Race 3 VIRGIN BET SUN CHARIOT STAKES (Group 1)
No6 TAMFANA (Nap)
Trainer: David Menuisier – Jockey: Colin Keane
Inspiral can never be written off, as she showed with her powering success in this race in 2023. She might have finished a lot closer to the winner had she not lost ground at the start in the Jacques Le Marois, but the task of giving 3lbs to younger rival TAMFANA might prove a tough one.
The selection looked very unlucky not to go close in the 1000 Guineas when she came from the next parish to claim a place, while when scoring easily at Sandown last month set herself up for what should prove a bountiful autumn campaign.
REDCAR
Race 4 WILLIAM HILL TWO YEAR OLD TROPHY (Listed)
No3 NORTHERN TICKER (Each Way)
Trainer: Michael Dods – Jockey: Paul Mulrennan
Locally trained NORTHERN TICKER has looked progressive in his successes at Newcastle and Carlisle, showing good natural speed from the gate on each occasion.
This highlight of the Redcar season is one his connections would dearly love to win, and he should take away a slice of the cake along with a horse with similar credentials in INVICTUS GOLD, who is worth saving on.
Race 5 No2 NORTHERN EXPRESS (Nap)
Trainer: Michael Dods – Jockey: Paul Mulrennan
NORTHERN EXPRESS is a credit to his trainer and a horse that appears to have discovered his best form at the age of six. Winner of the valuable International at Ascot where he gamely led from gate to wire, he finished best of all over a trip short of his best when eighth in the Ayr Gold Cup a fortnight ago.
He faces strong competition from Grey’s Monument, but if able to dictate in this smaller field should prove very hard to peg back.
PARIS-LONGCHAMP
Race 1 QATAR PRIX CHAUDENAY (Group 2)
No2 ILLINOIS
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien – Jockey: Ryan Moore
For a long way ILLINOIS looked likely to prevail in the St Leger, only to be caught in the final strides by stablemate Jan Brueghel. The Galileo colt takes a class drop and can by bouncing back provide his Coolmore owners with the perfect start to Arc weekend.
Race 4 No9 CLIMATE CHANGE (Each Way)
Trainer: Stephane Wattel – Jockey: Alexis Pouchin
CLIMATE CHANGE has been meticulously laid out of this race known in France as the Quinte, and has a perfect draw (5) from which to operate. The trip and going are ideal for the grey while he has the same top class jockey in his saddle who rode him at Deauville last month, and who will now know more about him.
Race 8 QATAR PRIX DOLLAR (Group 2)
No3 ANMAAT (Nap)
Trainer: Owen Burrows – Jockey: Jim Crowley
ANMAAT is a fascinating prospect who had to dig deep to repel the ultra game Certain Lad in a Haydock Group 3 on his return from more than a year off.
A Group 3 winner at this meeting in 2022, he relishes the easy conditions that will prevail with a further 4mm of rain forecast to arrive in the morning. The six-year-old is in the form of his life, and can repel Jayarebe and My Prospero in one of the best recent renewals of this prize.
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