Neil Morrice brings us all of his best bets and tips for Saturday’s racing at Windsor, Chester, Newmarket and Newcastle as well as an in-depth preview of the Betfair Exchange Northumberland Plate.
Windsor Best Bet
Race 4: NEW GRADUATE (4)
Trainer: James Tate
Jockey: Oisin Murphy
NEW GRADUATE can show that the losses made on him in the Royal Hunt Cup were merely lent in this step into Listed company. Never at home in the hurly-burly of that Ascot handicap, he weakened in the final furlong but it’s a lapse that can be forgiven. The colt is better judged on his wide margin success in a Ripon handicap on his previous start.
Chester Best Bets
Race 5: SUPER KID (2)
Trainer: Tim Easterby
Jockey: Joe Gormley
SUPER KID did himself a favour by not winning by far over course and distance earlier in the month and although done no favours with the draw is in the mood to consolidate. He was hampered when making his challenge and would have won by a wider margin with a clear run. Ground conditions will be completely different but he’s handled all surfaces and has a good chance of following up.
Race 7: POWERALLIED (3)
Trainer: Richard Fahey
Jockey: Paddy Mathews
A standing dish here, POWERALLIED hasn’t ruffled a feather in three outings this year but has a habit of returning to form at this time of the season. He spoiled his chance with a slow start here last time but ultimately wasn’t beaten far by Quick Look. He’s been dropped onto a decent mark, making him too attractive to leave alone.
Newmarket Best Bets
Race 3: LIMATO (1)
Trainer: Henry Candy
Jockey: Harry Bentley
Seven-year-old LIMATO is not the same calibre of horse that won the July Cup here a few seasons back but he picked up three nice prizes last summer and can show again that he comes to hand at this time of year. He made an encouraging comeback in the Group 2 Duke Of York Stakes last month, keeping on towards the finish to make a frame finish behind Invincible Army, and if turning up with his A-game will be hard to beat.
Newcastle Best Bets
Betfair Exchange Northumberland Plate
Lightning rarely strikes twice in the Pitmen’s Derby but WITHOLD was hugely impressive when coming home unchallenged in 2018 and remains as dark as you like after running just once subsequently, when out of the money in the Geelong Cup. That effectively quashed his hopes of getting into the Melbourne Cup but Roger Charlton has given him plenty of time to regather himself for a task that looks achievable, even though several have come in for solid support in the ante-post market.
GIBBS HILL is one such foe, returning here from a two-year absence for Roger Varian. The now 6yo looked something special when last seen storming home by seven lengths in a Class 3 on the Kempton Polytrack and storming home by and the move for him suggests he’s retained all his old ability and more.
There’s little to separate RED GALILEO and SPEEDO BOY on the book. Red Galileo had the better of things by two and a half lengths at Newmarket earlier in the month but a 5lb penalty for his troubles tilts the scales in favour of his rival, whose trainer Ian Williams is a past master in these big staying handicaps.
AUSTRIAN SCHOOL, KING’S ADVICE and MAKING MIRACLES give Mark Johnston a handy looking triple spearhead to aim at the £150,000 price and Austrian School, who hated the soft ground when finishing well back in the Chester Cup, has since acquitted himself better at York and deserves respect.
King’s Advice looks every inch a Johnston special who after running up a sequence on the all-weather and turf must be respected under PJ McDonald. Front runners have a good record in this and he displayed a gritty determination when holding What A Welcome by a nose at Goodwood.
Making Miracles revelled in the testing conditions when plundering the Chester Cup but has been safely held in two subsequent starts and has no form to recommend him on this track.
That cannot be said of DUBAWI FIFTY whose trainer Karen McLintock’s horses often attract support on the show. Should money come in for this consistent course and distance winner he can get into the argument.
Neil Morrice’s Predicted Finish:
1st SPEEDO BOY
2nd Gibbs Hill
3rd Withold
4th Red Galileo
5th King’s Advice
6th Dubawi Fifty
Race 2: INVINCIBLE ARMY (1)
Trainer: James Tate
Jockey: PJ McDonald
On a recovery mission in this Chipchase Stakes after failing to menace behind Blue Point in the Diamond Jubilee, INVINCIBLE ARMY can bounce back and confirm his place amongst our best sprinters. He looked magnificent at Ascot but couldn’t hold it together in the final furlong. However, in this Group 3 he hold’s a favourite’s chance.
Race 7: MUBHIJ (3)
Trainer: Roger Varian
Jockey: Andrea Atzeni
There’s plenty to recommend lightly-raced MUBHIJ whose stable is going through a rich vein of form. He endorsed the promise of a successful juvenile campaign by scoring readily in his comeback and did nothing wrong when chasing home Beauty Filly at Goodwood over seven furlongs at Goodwood. If Gallipoli injects some pace into the contest he can pick off his foes at the business end.
