Neil Morrice brings us his best bets and tips from Monday’s racing at Kempton Park, Musselburgh, Windsor, Wolverhampton and Killarney.
Kempton Park Best Bets
Race 4: SAUMUR (4)
Trainer: Denis Coakley
Jockey: Jonathan Burke
Dual purpose performer SAUMUR ran well in his first handicap when bumping into the smart So Lonely at Huntingdon where he’d won in his previous start in a novice hurdle. Kempton is a similarly tight, right-handed track and the 7yo has a good chance of returning to winning ways.
Race 6: RAVENOUS (7)
Trainer: Luke Dace
Jockey: Sean Bowen
The lightly raced RAVENOUS ended last season with a couple of good efforts in defeat, only being grabbed late by Sid Hoodie. That one didn’t exactly advertise the form in a subsequent outing but Ravenous could enjoy an uncontested lead and be hard to peg back.
Musselburgh Best Bets
Race 2: SOMEONE EXCITING (6)
Trainer: David Thompson
Jockey: H Shaw
SOMEONE EXCITING needs a strong pace to aim at, especially over this sharp five furlongs, but he could get it. He recovered from a tardy start to look all over the winner at Thirsk earlier in the month only to be mowed down late by Ginger Jam. He will need the gaps to open in this field but will be dangerous if getting them.
Race 4: BAYSHORE FREEWAY (1)
Trainer: Mark Johnston
Jockey: PJ McDonald
Although she is nudging up the weights, BAYSHORE FREEWAY is the sort of ultra-consistent filly that Mark Johnston can excel with and as a winner of four of her eleven starts is proof positive of that. Her relentless gallop proved too much for Seafarer over this mile and threequarters trip at Bath. There’s every chance that it will take the sting out of her six rivals in the day’s feature.
Windsor Best Bets
Race 3: BELATED BREATH (1)
Trainer: Hughie Morrison
Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Few trainers can improve horses from three to four as well as Morrison whose older brigade are in tremendous form. BELATED BREATH won three times last year and when signing off with a victory at Nottingham in October showed that she was still moving on an upward curve. There’s nothing to suggest that progression won’t continue, and she can make a winning return.
Race 7: SIMOON (4)
Trainer: Andrew Balding
Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Fresh from his gutsy victory over a trip that is short of his best, SIMOON has a very good opportunity to follow up off a 2lb higher mark back on turf. That should have given him a much-needed confidence boost, while his trainer’s horses are in terrific form.
Wolverhampton Best Bet
Race 5: LOST HISTORY (1)
Trainer: John Spearing
Jockey: Jane Elliott
LOST HISTORY returned to form with a second at 50-1 over this track and trip after joining his veteran trainer and can confirm his superiority over Dream Magic. He’s had three weeks to recover from those exertions and now must avoid the ‘bounce’ factor, but if doing so will be hard to keep out of the argument.
Killarney Best Bet
Race 1: DOCTOR DUFFY (2)
Trainer: C Byrnes
Jockey: P Enright
Crucial to the chance of DOCTOR DUFFY is that he has plenty of experience of jumping hurdles whilst Abyssinian has not. The selection deservedly opened his account at Cork and now has to show that he’s ready to go after a seven-month absence. His profile has a ring of consistency to it.
