Neil Morrice brings us all of his best bets and tips for Friday’s racing taking place at Newcastle, Lingfield, Chepstow and Musselburgh.
Newcastle Best Bets
Race 1: FORESEE (1)
Trainer: Tony Carroll
Jockey: Elisha Whittington
As a winner of three of his last four starts FORESEE is on an upwardly mobile trajectory and can continue that rise kept to the same level at which he thundered home at Wolverhampton last week. The well-backed selection opened up a seven lengths gap when given the office in the short home straight and is operating at the height of his powers.
Race 4: HIGH FORT (10)
Trainer: Karen McLintock
Jockey: Jamie Gormley
Course and distance scorer HIGH FORT gets weight from all nine of his opponents and is taken to turn the tables on Blazing Dreams from their meeting here last week. Blazing Dreams gained the verdict by threequarters of a length on that occasion when giving away 3lb but my selection enjoys a 5lb swing which looks sufficient for him to take his revenge.
Race 6: TOMMY DE VITO (4)
Trainer: Charlie Hills
Jockey: Ben Curtis
Owners Chelsea Thoroughbreds send out their first runner of the year in TOMMY DE VITO who shaped so promisingly on his introduction over course and distance in November. The late-maturing individual recovered from a tardy start to chase home the more experienced Asmund and has pleased in his build up for this. He is narrowly preferred to Never Dark, who also ran well to place on his own first outing at Kempton.
Lingfield Best Bets
Race 4: CLIFF WIND (1)
Trainer: Sir Mark Prescott
Jockey: Luke Morris
Having shown a tendency to hand levy when putting in a career-best at Kempton last week, CLIFF WIND should be more at home now back at left-handed Lingfield. His second to Miss Thoughtful represented a step up from his three efforts as a juvenile but in order to go he better he needs to overcome a tricky draw widest in the field.
Race 8: BENTLEY WOOD (3) (Each Way)
Trainer: Mick Channon
Jockey: Charles Bishop
Although he regressed from outing to outing as a 2yo, BENTLEY WOOD has strengthened up through the first half of the winter and can give recent course winner Rhubarb Bikini a run for his money in this Novice Stakes. He’s done plenty of work on the all-weather.
Race 2: GETAWAY FRED (1)
Trainer: Colin Tizzard
Jockey: Robbie Power
The penalized GETAWAY FRED can utilize this novices’ hurdle to give him a confidence boost while connections mull over what is the right race for h8m at Cheltenham. Already an impressive scorer over the minimum distance on this course, the 6yo attempted to make all in the opener on King George day at Kempton but was left for dead by Fred. He looked like a horse that wants to go further, which is what happens here.
Race 5: VISION DES FLOS (3)
Trainer: Colin Tizzard
Jockey: Robbie Power
VISION DES FLOS has a touch of class about him that can manifest itself in a first win over fences as he stretches out to three miles. Beaten just over eight lengths by the ultra-smart Champ at Newbury in November, he faces nothing of that ilk and looks poised to boost his claims for the RSA Chase at the Festival.
Musselburgh Best Bet
Race 4: WEATHER FRONT (1)
Trainer: Karen McLintock
Jockey: Dale Irving
This is a case of whether connections of WEATHER FRONT have him fully primed after 14 months on the sidelines. If the 7yo is ready, he should take a bit of stopping as he looked well above average as a novice. When last seen he oozed class at Newcastle, sauntering clear in the style of a top notcher.
