Neil Morrice brings us all of his best bets and tips for Sunday’s racing coming your way from Cheltenham, Fontwell Park, and Southwell.
CHELTENHAM
Race
1 No6 THE BIG BREAKAWAY
Trainer:
Colin Tizzard – Jockey: Robbie Power
Several
of these have recent winning form that gives them hope, but the presence of
returning THE BIG BREAKAWAY casts a shadow over their ability to deal with a
horse that goes to post with a huge home reputation. The Getaway gelding cost a
king’s ransom after impressively landing his only point-to-point in Ireland and
didn’t let new connections down by taking out maiden and novice hurdles at
Chepstow and Newbury. He rounded-off with a creditable frame finish in the
Ballymore Hurdle at the Festival, and now switches to fences having schooled
beautifully and done everything right.
Race
2 No3 DISCORAMA (Nap)
Trainer:
Paul Nolan – Jockey: Robbie Power
This
trainer always means business when bringing his horses here, and in the
consistent DISCORAMA fields a solid candidate that looks to have many of the
bases covered. The selection finished second at successive Festivals, in the
Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle in 2019 and the National Hunt
Chase last year. He stays forever, loves soft ground and has the benefit of a
readying run when beaten just a shot head by Milan Native at Galway last month.
He should prove hard to beat.
Race
3 SCHLOER CHASE (Grade 2)
No4
ROUGE VIF
Trainer:
Harry Whittington – Jockey: Gavin Sheehan
How
much rain arrives before this recognised trial for the Queen Mother Champion
Chase will have a bearing on the outcome, as Arkle winner Put The Kettle On
loves to get her toe in. Riders Onthe Storm proved a good servant to us last
winter and goes on anything, but along with Defi Du Seuil lacks the advantage
of a recent outing. Furthermore, some of the horses from the Philip Hobbs
stable have looked in need of a run. As long as the ground isn’t heavy, ROUGE
VIF is the choice. While only third in the Arkle, he put in an exemplary
jumping display to come home unchallenged under a big weight in a handicap at
the Showcase meeting last month. He took lengths off his foes at several of the
fences in a display that suggests he’ll never run in a handicap again. Indeed,
he looks like a genuine pretender to the two mile crown and can rise to the
occasion.
Race
4 UNIBET GREATWOOD HANDICAP HURDLE (Grade 3)
No5
EDWARDSTONE
Trainer:
Alan King – Jockey: Tom Cannon
All
the rage in ante post exchanges through the week, EDWARDSTONE can successfully
make the step from novice to handicap company in this betting extravaganza of
the day. His trainer has won the contest in two of the past three seasons and
has in the Kaye Tara six-year-old a potent weapon to go to war with. The
selection too a couple of notable scalps in novice hurdles when beating
Fiddlerontheroof at Wincanton and Harry Senior at Aintree, went down in a photo
to Stolen Silver in a Grade 2 at Huntingdon,then rounded-off his campaign when
just out of the money in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Festival, won by
Shishkin.
The
race often throws up a big-priced winner and if that’s to happen I would
consider both BALLYANDY and COUNTISTER. Ballyandy, a past winner of the
Festival Bumper here, chased home Sceau Royal in the Welsh Champion Hurdle at
Ffos Las and will be fitter for that run. However he’s there to be shot at with
top weight and will probably find a couple of the second-season novices too hot
to handle. Countister ran a stinker on her reappearance at Ascot but remains a
well-handicapped mare. Owned by JP McManus, I would keep an eye open for any
market move for her, and act accordingly if it happens. Of the younger brigade
SIR PSYCHO is almost certainly better than he showed at Chepstow while
stablemates PROSCHEMA and CORMIER hail from a Dan Skelton hard that always
targets this race. Local hope TEGEREK also requires consideration.
Prediction:
1st EDWARDSTONE, 2nd Countister, 3rd Ballyandy, 4th Sir Psycho, 5th Proschema,
6th Tegerek
FONTWELL PARK
Race
1 No2 LORD BADDESLEY (Nap)
Trainer:
Chris Gordon – Jockey: Joshua Moore
One
of the nicest horses to compete at this country track in recent seasons is LORD
BADDESLEY. He came home with his head in his chest on hurdling bow here early
last month and gives his talented trainer high hopes of further pickings in a
clash with hat-trick seeker Lord Accord that he should take on the way to much
better things.
Race
4 No7 SOARLIKEANEAGLE
Trainer:
Richard Rowe – Jockey: Niall Houlihan
The
so far disappointing SOARLIKEANEAGLE runs off a mark 3lb out of the handicap
but should not be underestimated. The eight-year-old has done well through the
summer, while his trainer’s horses are running well. He will enjoy the
conditions and can get into the shake-up at a working man’s price.
Race
5 No4 WARRANTY
Trainer:
Harry Whittington – Jockey: Daryl Jacob
A
winner at Beverley on final start for Mark Johnston, WARRANTY is a scopey,
athletic individual that stays well. He was not a natural on the schooling
ground to begin with but has got better, and if handling this sharp track could
make a winning impact.
SOUTHWELL
Race
2 No1 ROUNDEL (Nap)
Trainer:
David O’Meara – Jockey: Danny Tudhope
Two
factors have changed for ROUNDEL, who didn’t see out the trip when third here
last week. The consistent four-year-old drops back from a mile to seven
furlongs while his trainer adds cheek pieces. In this case I hope they are not
a rogue’s badge, because the selection has plenty of natural ability if he
cares to use it.
Race
5 No2 MODEL GUEST
Trainer:
Archie Watson – Jockey: Luke Morris
Plenty
has been said about the attitude of MODEL GUEST when engaging in a battle, but
she stayed on strongly to go down in a photo at Newcastle last week and is
worth one more chance now back in maiden company.
