Neil Morrice brings us all of his best bets and tips from UK Racing at Bangor-On-Dee, Huntington, Kempton, Nottingham and Newcastle.
Bangor-On-Dee Best Bets
Race 2: NOBLE SAFFRON (7)
Trainer: David Bridgwater
Jockey: Brendan Powell
Having left all previous form a country mile behind when making a winning reappearance at Plumpton, NOBLE SAFFRON can defy a 7lb penalty under bottom weight in this novices’ handicap chase. He was in contention throughout that two and a half miler, displaying the all round pace that should make a pull back on the distance ladder only a minor inconvenience.
Race 6: WAY OF THE WORLD (3)
Trainer: Sheila Lewis
Jockey: Mr B Jones
With most of these handicap chasers badly out of form the safe option is WAY OF THE WORLD who regularly troubles the judge and deserves a change of luck. He tired at the end of his latest outing at Ffos Las which probably explains his trainer’s decision to bring him back from three miles to two and a half.
Huntington Best Bets
Race 3: GOLDEN TAIPAN (2)
Trainer: Fergal O’Brien
Jockey: Paddy Brennan
There’s every chance the free going GOLDEN TAIPAN will be handed an easy lead in this novice hurdle, and is strongly fancied to get back to winning ways. A tendency to jump right cost him at Aintree but that was in the early summer and he now has the chance to show how well he goes fresh, which was the case when he made a winning reappearance. The track, trip and ground should be fine for him.
Race 7: JEN’S BOY (3)
Trainer: Nicky Henderson
Jockey: Nico de Boinville
Abundant market confidence in JEN’S BOY proved wide of the mark when he was denied in his hat-trick bid at Worcester in August. His jumping left something to be desired but he’s too good a horse to write off and can get his career back on track for his powerful stable. He’s been freshened up in the last few weeks, and is fancied to win.
Kempton Best Bets
Race 3: QASEEDA (9)
Trainer: William Haggas
Jockey: James Doyle
If So Sharp lives up to the form shown at Royal Ascot she will be hard to stop but it’s worth chancing QASEEDA to capitalize on the 7lb she receives from the likely favourite for this fillies’ novice stakes. The selection was easy to back on her Sandown introduction but made very good late headway to fail by only three quarters of a length to catch Sand Diego in a race in which few got into it. That should have taught her what she needs to know to open her account.
Race 4: STANFORD (11)
Trainer: Andrew Balding
Jockey: Oisin Murphy
Having shaped so well on his debut here last month, STANFORD should make an impression in this novice over the same trip of a mile. Friendless in the betting, he stayed on past beaten horses to finish third to Acquitted and is now far more the finished article. His stable boasts a very good record with its juveniles on this Polytrack surface.
Nottingham Best Bets
Race 2: CRAYLANDS (2)
Trainer: Michael Bell
Jockey: Callum Shepherd
CRAYLANDS has been campaigned like a good filly and returns from a break needing to prove that she can handle the very testing conditions. She looked sure to win at Glorious Goodwood only to get mugged on the line by Vividly. Now stepping up to a mile, she meets rivals from a number of top stables but has the points on the board to deliver.
Race 4: KENNY THE CAPTAIN (17)
Trainer: Tom Easterby
Jockey: Duran Fentiman
When KENNY THE CAPTAIN streaked home at Redcar a week ago he landed a notable gamble and with conditions in his favour is well worth backing to follow up. Having pinged the lids, he was soon we’ll clear and came home unchallenged. He’s a horse that loves very testing conditions, and under a 4lb penalty looks the best bet on this card.
Newcastle Best Bets
Race 2: TADAAWOL (1)
Trainer: Roger Fell
Jockey: Paula Muir
TADAAWOL is used to carrying big weights at this level and with his liking for the Tapeta surface can swoop to conquer off the strong pace likely to be set by Lucky Lodge and Staplegrove. Having lost his way mid season, he signalled with a pleasing frame finish over this trip at Redcar that he’s on the cusp of a return to winning ways.
Race 5: SOPHIA MARIA (5)
Trainer: James Bethell
Jockey: Jane Elliott
It’s taken a while for SOPHIA MARIA to endorse the promise of her early juvenile form but two near misses and a win from her last three outings bears testament that she is in a good place, while her only success came at this track. She forced The Big House into a photo at Catterick last month and shouldn’t mind dropping to a sprint distance.
Written by Neil Morrice for Hollywoodbets
