UK racing tips – Friday 10 March 2023

Can all of Friday’s meetings beat the cold weather? Ayr and Leicester are subject to inspections at 10am and 09:30am respectively, with Wolverhampton’s all-weather fixture also needing to pass a 10am check. Exeter and Kempton are also scheduled to race. 

*All times SAST.

EXETER

Race 1: IMPOSE TOI 3/10

IMPOSE TOI can make amends for a narrow defeat on his British debut when he runs in the opener at Exeter. Now with Nicky Henderson after being bought by JP McManus from France, he did very little wrong at Ludlow but was caught out by inexperience in the closing stages. For much of the contest he appeared to be travelling best and jumped into the lead two from home. However, a mistake at the last cost him valuable momentum and he was run down by Alan King’s Egbert. Egbert hardly franked the form on his handicap debut, but Impose Toi is sure to come on for his initial experience

Race 4: ISSAM 17/2

It is no surprise at all to see Tom Symonds drop ISSAM back in trip for this handicap hurdle. He looked all over the winner last time out at Ffos Las, but the combination of testing ground and two and a half miles caught him out. Back down to two miles, on a quicker surface and a sharper track, he should be hard to beat.

LEICESTER

Race 2: FIRST ANGEL 2/1

Laura Morgan could well be on the mark with top weight in FIRST ANGEL, who runs in this handicap chase. The seven-year-old was a beaten odds-on favourite when last seen at Perth over 200 days ago but the winner, Getaman, is now rated 12lb higher.

Race 4: WHISTLEINTHEDARK 2/1

WHISTLEINTHEDARK has taken to fences really well and can defy top weight in the fourth at Leicester this evening. Another trained by the very capable Morgan, the eight-year-old has looked a completely different proposition since being asked to tackle the bigger obstacles. Morgan inherited him off Richard Hawker and after a fine season opener over hurdles when beaten half a length at Ayr, he went to Market Rasen for his chasing debut. Sporting a hood for the first time and upped marginally in trip, he came home unchallenged. That was off an opening mark of 113 but upped to 125 at Wetherby, despite taking on only one rival, it was a very useful one in Since Day One who had been third in Grade Two company on his previous run. Once again Whistleinthedark jumped well out in front and despite his jockey briefly losing his irons down the back straight, he was never in any danger. If he gets his own way in front once more, another 9lb might not stop him.

AYR

Race 6: RUBY ISLAND 14/10

RUBY ISLAND has looked very promising this season and she is taken to win again in this novices’ hurdle. She had some decent form in bumpers but is unbeaten in two starts over hurdles and looks a natural. She carries a double penalty in this contest but so does her main rival, which should make her task easier and she can take this before having her sights raised.

KEMPTON

Race 1: JUPITER EXPRESS 33/10

JUPITER EXPRESS can go well off bottom weight in this opening apprentice handicap at Kempton. He has been extremely well placed since joining Mick Appleby and remains on good terms with himself.

Race 2: MCLEAN HOUSE 5/4

When Andrew Balding’s MCLEAN HOUSE won last time out, he had the look of a young horse well capable of defying a penalty. He gets the chance to prove that here in the second at Kempton this evening.