Neil Morrice brings us all of his best bets and tips from UK Racing at Chepstow, Redcar, Yarmouth and Newcastle on Tuesday 17 September.
Chepstow Best Bets
Race 1: ROTHERWICK (2)
Trainer: Paul Cole
Jockey: David Probert
The ultra-consistent, ROTHERWICK, deserves a chance of luck and the ball could go into the net for him in this contest as track, trip and ground are ideal for him. He’s been posting frame finishes right through the summer but is possibly a better operator in a bigger field like this. His mid-division finish behind Starfighter at Salisbury is there to be an improvement under a good jockey booking.
Race 2: LORD HOWARD (4)
Trainer: Mick Channon
Jockey: David Probert
While clearly no star, LORD HOWARD is capable of raising his game now dropped into a seller. He’s inexperienced and holds scope for improvement and with the assist of first-time cheekpieces can get into the shake-up.
Redcar Best Bets
Race 1: RIVER CAM (7)
Trainer: James Tate
Jockey: PJ McDonald
This looks a gilt added opportunity for RIVER CAM to post an overdue first victory. He’s been forced to play second fiddle on all three career starts but hasn’t given any indication of being ungenuine. He was hampered at a crucial stage of his latest outing at Chelmsford and even though beaten four and a half lengths the form is as good as anything in the field has to offer.
Race 7: THE FIDDLER (4)
Trainer: Chris Wall
Jockey: Paul Hanagan
The way THE FIDDLER opened his seasonal account over course and distance last month suggests the 4yo is in front of the assessor. He looked better the further he travelled to come home unchallenged and is strongly fancied to follow up for his shrewd trainer.
Yarmouth Best Bets
Race 5: IMHOTEP (5)
Trainer: Roger Charlton
Jockey: James Doyle
As green as grass on his Kempton introduction, IMHOTEP stands out in this weak maiden and should deliver. He was unable to go the early gallop but stayed on strongly into the money when the penny dropped. Horses from his stable invariably improve a long way from their first outing to their second and he can prove a case in point.
Race 7: MERRY BANTER (1)
Trainer: Paul Midgley
Jockey: Pat Cosgrave
While unable to blaze the trail at Epsom last time, the fact that she was led for three and a half furlongs by Harrogate suited MERRY BANTER who ran out a cosy winner. As the only front runner in this field, she will revert to her customary forcing tactics and can repel all attackers to follow up.
Newcastle Best Bets
Race 3: FESTINA (6)
Trainer: Sir Mark Prescott
Jockey: Luke Morris
There was a lot to like about the way FESTINA shaped on her Wolverhampton debut and she can give her remarkable trainer another success. In making the frame and being beaten only two and a half lengths by the winner Havana Jane, Festina laid down the gauntlet for a good end of season campaign.
Race 5: INSURPLUS (8)
Trainer: Jim Goldie
Jockey: Paddy Mathers
INSURPLUS has shown an affinity for the Tapeta surface with a gritty victory over seven furlongs on his latest outing and another over this mile earlier in the season. He returns to the Gosforth Park circuit with his tail up and remains fairly handicapped for this follow-up bid.