Neil Morrice brings us all of his best bets and tips for Wednesday’s racing coming your way from Plumpton, Leicester and Kempton Park
PLUMPTON
Race 2 No3 GERICAULT ROQUE (Nap)
Trainer: David Pipe – Jockey: Tom Scudamore
The
proven course form of GERICAULT ROQUE can outweigh the huge potential of jumps
debutant Natural History in the first division of the maiden hurdle. The
selection ran well to chase home Grandeur D’Ame on debut under Rules at Newton
Abbot and will improve on that effort. Natural History finished third in the
Group 3 St Simon Stakes when last seen at Newbury in the autumn, but needs to
show he’s cut out for jumping on a first run for his new stable.
Race 3 No9 RAINS OF CASTERMERE
Trainer: Mick Channon – Jockey: Conor O’Farrell
RAINS
OF CASTERMERE ended the 2020 Flat season on a high with back-to-back successes
in testing ground at Windsor and Newmarket. He’s thrived for a subsequent break
and been well tutored for this first outing over jumps. Like stablemate
Wightman, who prevailed in a similar race at Ludlow, he’s a miler that has a
good chance of getting the trip granted a decent pace on this easy track.
Race 5 No4 PRIDE OF PEMBERLEY
Trainer: Nigel Dunger – Jockey: Robbie Dunne
No
surprise to see connections of PRIDE OF PEMBERLEY trying to strike while the
iron’s hot following the gelding’s smooth delivery at Fakenham last week. He
skated up in conditions that are set to be repeated this afternoon, and has
every chance of defying a 7lb penalty.
Race 6 No3 EURKASH
Trainer: Ben Pauling – Jockey: Kieran Woods
The tendency to jump left inconvenienced EURKASH at Hereford but was corrected on
his recent winning visit to Bangor where he dug deep to score with something in
hand. The form has been devalued but granted the confidence that belated first
career triumph has instilled in the gelding he can now prevent top weight High
Up In The Air from completing a hat-trick.
Race 7 No2 LADY CHUFFNEL
Trainer: Ben Pauling – Jockey: Kieran Woods
This
stable is starting to get its act together which is a good omen for Lady
Chuffnell on her return from a two-month absence. The lightly-raced mare put in
a career-best when last seen at Exeter in November, and with a little further
progression can open her account.
LEICESTER
Race 2 No3 GOODBYE DANCER
Trainer: Fergal O’Brien – Jockey: Paddy Brennan
This is a strongly contested seller but GOODBYE DANCER has to be of serious interest on what is a huge class drop. Since scoring on debut for the yard it’s been a tale of gradual regression for the ten-year-old, but there was enough of the old ability to see in this season’s efforts at Cheltenham and Haydock to suggest he should have no problem dispatching the type of foes he now meets in the bottom rung of the class ladder.
Race 4 No4 OSCARS LEADER (Each Way)
Trainer: Jennie Candlish – Jockey: Sean Quinlan
The market will give us a good idea of what’s expected of Fanfaron Dino who went up 13lbs for winning at Uttoxeter. More likely to run to form is OSCARS LEADER, whose last five outings over hurdles since being equipped with a visor stamp him as useful. That headgear helped him deliver at Bangor and Sedgefield, since when he’s finished second at Newcastle, Sandown and Haydock. It’s makes for a very strong case, and he should take home another cheque while looking the one to beat.
Race 6 No6 MAJOR ROBINSON (Nap)
Trainer: David Pipe – Jockey: David Noonan
The best value should be emanated from MAJOR ROBINSON, who ran particularly well on debut over jumps to finish third to Lecale’s Article at Newbury. The hooded five-year-old was easy to back and shaped as if the race would teach him plenty. What makes him of greater appeal is that in what looks a strictly three-cornered affair both No-Risk Des Flos and Fontaine Collonges will probably be preferred to him in the betting.
KEMPTON PARK
Race 6 No7 MELODY OF LIFE (Nap)
Trainer: Andrew Balding – Jockey: David Probert
MELODY
OF LIFE should be a bet worth waiting for on a largely tricky Polytrack card.
The Dark Angel colt failed to build on two promising efforts here and at
Chelmsford when visiting Lingfield, but is better than that comprehensive
defeat indicates, and worth another chance in a weaker contest.
