Neil Morrice brings us all of his best bets and tips for Monday’s racing coming your way from the Bath, Hamilton Park, Newcastle and Newton Abbot.
BATH
Race 3 No3 GREYSTOKE (Nap)
Trainer: Mick Channon – Jockey: Tom Marquand
Channon fields two in this novice stakes but GREYSTOKE holds the stronger claims and can put behind him a lack lustre effort at Goodwood last time. The Sixties Icon colt never looked like justifying market support that day, but a previous solid run behind Patient Dream at Lingfield reads well in the context of today’s task. He has a good draw from which to get onto the pace and may benefit from a more attacking ride.
Race 6 No5 KNOCKABOUT QUEEN (Each Way)
Trainer: Tony Carroll – Jockey: David Probert
KNOCKABOUT QUEEN delivered here exactly a year ago, and while posting a couple of subsequent wins on the all-weather is yet to score this season. However her best effort from those last five outings was when she finished third to Devil’s Roc at this track, and now she’s close to her last winning mark it would be no surprise to see her raise her game.
HAMILTON PARK
Race 1 No3 GAELIC SECRET (Nap)
Trainer: Keith Dalgleish – Jockey: Megan Nicholls
Taking into account the 3lb claim of his accomplished rider, GAELIC SECRET very much appeals as the one to beat in this opening novice stakes. The Pearl Secret colt belied his 40-1 starting price by getting to within two and threequarter lengths of the more experienced Twilight Heir on debut at Catterick, and is going to be a lot more streetwise this time.
Race 4 No1 SMEATON
Trainer: Roger Fell – Jockey: Ben Curtis
Class dropper SMEATON can prevent Ayr Poet making this a fourth win in his last five starts. The selection demonstrated his liking for this course with back-to-back wins in mid summer and signalled with a pleasing third to Garden Oasis at Pontefract that he’s on the cusp of a return to winning ways.
NEWCASTLE
Race 3 No4 PIED PIPER (Nap)
Trainer: John Gosden – Jockey: Rab Havlin
PIED PIPER has the best form and can play the experience card to telling effect in this maiden. The son of New Approach stepped up on debut outing when finishing second at Haydock and has hinted in subsequent work in Newmarket that he’s now equipped to get off the mark for top connections.
Race 4 No4 THIRD KINGDOM
Trainer: John Gosden – Jockey: David Egan
The Gosden stable looks to have an equally good chance of taking out this first division of the maiden with THIRD KINGDOM. The Make Believe colt has signalled in both earning runs to date that he has ability, and should prove too hot for locally-trained Midnight Poppy to handle.
NEWTON ABBOT
Race 3 No2 SENIOR CITIZEN
Trainer: Alan King – Jockey: Adrian Heskin
With his ability to run well when coming back from a break, SENIOR CITIZEN could prove the answer to this novices’ chase. In a selective campaign that entailed only three outings last season, the selection chased home the useful The Big Bite at Doncaster before easily going one better in a handicap chase at Fakenham. And although finishing last of four on his only other start at Stratford, that was in a warm heat and he came back with a genuine excuse.
Race 5 No1 PINGSHOU
Trainer: Colin Tizzard – Jockey: Harry Cobden
If as seems likely from the evidence of his slick schooling, PINGSHOU has put last season’s jumping issues behind him, the gelding should have too many guns for his foes in this two mile handicap chase. Importantly he scored on seasonal return last term and is unlikely to lack for anything in the fitness department, while remaining a classy addition to the chasing ranks.
Race 6 No4 SOVEREIGN DUKE (Nap)
Trainer: Jamie Snowden – Jockey: Page Fuller
SOVEREIGN DUKE returns to this course as a winner without a penalty, as he was travelling like a bomb when departing two out on his jumps debut last month. The former useful Flat performer has been given time to get over that reverse, and following some tutoring on the schooling ground is ready to outpoint fellow Lambourn raider Sunrise Ruby.
