Neil Morrice brings us all of his best bets and tips from Saturday’s racing at Curragh, Haydock, Goodwood, York, Chester and Salisbury. This includes an in-depth look at the Tattersalls Irish 200 Guineas.
Curragh 3:35 Race – Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas (Group 1)
The first Irish Classic of the year looks just as good as its English equivalent after John Gosden’s decision to pitch TOO DARN HOT against a five-strong challenge from Coolmore led by Newmarket winner MAGNA GRECIA, a 6-4 favourite with Hollywoodbets.
The top-rated 2yo in training last year, Too Darn Hot missed the chance to take on Aidan O’Brien’s army in the English Guineas owing to a minor setback but showed he’d trained on when chasing home Telecaster in the mile and a quarter Dante Stakes at York.
So well did the colt come out of his reappearance on the Knavesmire that Gosden and owners Lord and Lady Lloyd-Webber boldly elected to come here, and in so doing virtually guaranteeing that Magna Grecia will not have things all his own way as he bids to emulate previous English/Irish Guineas winner such as Rock Of Gibraltar, Henrythenavigator, Gleneagles and Churchill.
Critics of Magna Grecia will point to the fact that he may have enjoyed the best of the draw when the field split in the Guineas, whilst enjoying an uninterrupted passage up the favoured stands rail as rivals such as SKARDU were not as fortunate, making his bid from the rear and then leading home the group in the centre of the track to be beaten a total of four and a quarter lengths into third.
Magna Grecia, Too Darn Hot and Skardu dominate the betting market although it may be unwise to rule out PHOENIX OF SPAIN who theoretically has a chance of beating the favourite. This is based on what many see as an unlucky defeat at Doncaster, wherein the Racing Post Trophy Charles Hills’s colt was hampered in the closing stages yet went down by just a head to Magna Grecia.
At longer double-figure odds DECRYPT is interesting in that he scored impressively on his Cork return, but along with the unbeaten SHELIR he has to improve in leaps and bounds to trouble the first three in the betting.
Neil Morrice’s Predicted Finish
1st: MAGNA GRECIA
2nd: Skardu
3rd: Too Darn Hot
4th: Phoenix Of Spain
5th: Shelir
Haydock Best Bets
Race 1: EDEN ROSE (7) (Nap)
Trainer: Mick Channon
Jockey: Ben Curtis
The most improved horse in the Channon stable, EDEN ROSE began the year on a mark of 75, went up 11lb for winning at Lingfield and now finds herself in the low 90s but capable of another big step forward judging from the manner of her exceptional work at home. She should prove very hard to beat.
Race 4: KACHY (5)
Trainer: Tom Dascombe
Jockey: Richard Kingscote
Almost unbeatable when negotiating a bend at courses like Chester, KACHY is looking to make this Group 2 a career highlight and to stretch his sequence to four straight wins. He has to master last year’s winner Battaash who has scored first time out in all three seasons he’s raced, but with his advantage of a recent run, Kachy gets the nod and can advertise his claims for Royal Ascot.
Goodwood Best Bets
Race 2: CHYNNA (10) (Each Way)
Trainer: Mick Channon
Jockey: Jason Watson
Even though the draw hasn’t been the kindest, CHYNNA is a filly that has really come to herself since her satisfactory run a fortnight ago. Group placed last year, she has really come in her coat, and in what is a fiercely competitive race will represent value at a big double figure price. Important to her chance is that she finds cover in the early stages, but if achieving that she can get into the money.
Race 4: MIRAGE DANCER (4)
Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute
Jockey: Pat Dobbs
Stoute is enjoying a rich harvest with his older horses and will have MIRAGE DANCER spot on in his attempt to win this Listed race for the second year running. He was disappointing on his final 2019 start in Hong Kong but that display is easily forgiven as the son of Frankel is normally the most reliable of performers and can outclass his foes on the way to better things.
York Best Bets
Race 1: DANCING STAR (3)
Trainer: Andrew Balding
Jockey: Rob Hornby
There’s not much between DANCING STAR and Cardsharp on the book but as Balding’s horses are running out of their skin, the first named filly gets the vote. Her season got off to a disastrous start when her stall didn’t open properly at Lingfield, but at least she enjoyed a trip to the track and an easy race that in their way will have helped bring her forward.
Race 3: BAYSHORE FREEWAY (3)
Trainer: Mark Johnston
Jockey: Jason Hart
BAYSHORE FREEWAY is a perfect example of the type of filly her trainer can successfully graduate into Pattern races, this being a first crack at a Group 3 for the winner of her last two handicaps at this mile and three-quarters distance. She never wins by wide margins but gets the job done effectively, and although taking on higher rated peers has it in her to leapfrog them at a track that will perfectly suit her style of racing.
Chester Best Bet
Race 5: HATS OFF TO LARRY (8)
Trainer: Mick Channon
Jockey: Callum Shepherd
Dual purpose horse HATS OFF TO LARRY breezed beautifully under Shepherd yesterday and is fit and fancied for this return to Flat racing. Though yet to win at the Roodee, he has shown he can handle the tight turns. He looks sure to represent value too.
Salisbury Best Bet
Race 5: EARL OF HARROW (1)
Trainer: Mick Channon
Jockey: Scott McCullough
Running under a 6lb penalty for his come from behind first career success at Windsor on Monday, EARL OF HARROW enjoys the luxury of having an accomplished 7lb claimer on his back which effectively negates that burden. He cashed in on a fast pace throughout the Windsor contest and has a good chance of getting that again in the joint biggest field of the night.
