Neil Morrice brings us all of his best bets and tips from Sunday’s racing coming your way from Bath, Wolverhampton, Chelmsford City and Curragh
BATH
Race 5 No7 SUN TIDE (Nap)
Trainer: Ralph Beckett – Jockey: Rob Hornby
With a pedigree to die for, connections of SUN TIDE must have swooned at her narrow maiden success at Chepstow on only a third career start. The Siyouni half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Midday had to fight tooth and nail for her victory, but owing to the closeness between success and failure, the assessor might have underestimated her for this handicap debut. Her trainer does especially well with this type of individual in the autumn.
Race 6 No9 KNOCKABOUT QUEEN (Each Way)
KNOCKABOUT QUEEN demonstrated her effectiveness on this sprint course with a win exactly a year ago and went on to land back-to-back all-weather successes in the New Year. Apart from a placed effort back here in July, she’s slightly gone off the radar but is worth chancing for an improved performance at likely big double-figure odds.
CHELMSFORD CITY
Race 1 No1 EYE OF HEAVEN
Trainer: Mark Johnston – Jockey: Joe Fanning
EYE OF HEAVEN is in much calmer waters than for his defeats in the Norfolk Stakes and a Listed contest at Sandown. He had looked potentially smart when stylishly taking a race that has worked out on debut at Newmarket. He has to shoulder a penalty for that, but should outclass his foes.
Race 2 No2 AREEHAA (Nap)
Trainer: Sir Michael Stoute – Jockey: Jim Crowley
Getting 7lb from market rival Warren Rose should tilt the balance in favour of AREEHAA, a beautifully-bred individual by Kingman our of a Dansili mare. There was a length and threequarters between the pair at Yarmouth at the end of last month, but at these revised weights the Stoute runner looks the one to be on.
WOLVERHAMPTON
Race 7 No10 DECORA (Each Way)
Trainer: Mick Channon – Jockey: Martin Harley
Having one off the boil on her last two starts, DECORA is ready to return to the consistent level of form she showed through June and early July. The Conduit filly stays well while lacking a turn of foot. She’s not blessed with the best of draws, however, and her jockey will need to be alert at the gate.
Race 4 No5 JIGS PRINCESS (Nap)
Trainer: Brian Ellison – Jockey: Ben Robinson
The well-berthed JIGS PRINCESS could enjoy the run of things in this nursery, sufficiently so to open her account after a couple of good earning efforts in similar races at this course and Newcastle. She retains the cheek pieces that appeared to work well on her last time.
CURRAGH
Race 2 MOYGLARE ‘JEWELS’ BLANDFORD STAKES (Group 2)
This all-aged fillies only race looks destined to fall to a three-year-old and ONE VOICE fits the bill. The Jessie Harrington-trained selection doesn’t have to lock horns with the likes of Love and Fancy Blue, who respectively beat her in the Yorkshire Oaks and Nassau Stakes. This is therefore a class drop for One Voice, who can take the spoils at the main expense of older mare Magic Wand.
Race 3 DERRINSTOWN STUD FLYING FIVE STAKES (Group 1)
No12 LIBERTY BEACH
Trainer: John Quinn – Jockey: Jason Hart
Distaffers have a strong representation in this cracking sprint, the best of whom could be LIBERTY BEACH. Last season’s Molecomb Stakes winner has earned in each of her four starts as a three-year-old and chased the shadow of Battaash for much of the time. But there is no Battaash in today’s field, giving her the chance to put her best foot forward.
Race 4 MOYGLARE STUD STAKES (Group 1)
No8 PRETTY GORGEOUS
Trainer: Joseph O’Brien – Jockey: D McDonagh
The O’Brien family is set to monopolise this fillies’ Group 1. Aidan fields Divinely, Snowfall and Mother Earth; Donnacha Shale and Joseph PRETTY GORGEOUS who is the one to be on. Shale beat the last named filly two outings back but Pretty Gorgeous readily reversed those placings at this course in a Group 2 and it might prove wise to go by that latest evidence.
Race 5 GOFF’S VINCENT O’BRIEN NATIONAL STAKES (Group 1)
No1 BATTLEGROUND (Nap)
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien – Jockey: Ryan Moore
Right back to the legendary Nijinsky some of Ireland’s best horses have their names on the National Stakes roll of honour. This is a fascinating renewal, with preference for the strong stayer BATTLEGROUND. The powerfully-built War Front colt greatly impressed in landing the Chesham Stakes (Listed) at Royal Ascot but was even more dominant in the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood where he swept aside Devious Company in spite of being clearly ill at ease on the undulating track. He looks every inch a leading player for next year’s 2,000 Guineas and Derby.
Race 6 COMER GROUP INTERNATIONAL IRISH ST LEGER (Group 1)
Last year’s shock Irish Derby hero Sovereign did that the hard way and in both outings this season has looked as if he’s crying out for a longer trip. He couldn’t live with Enable in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot in July, and preference is for the upwardly mobile handicapper FUJAIRA PRINCE. An impressive scorer at Royal Ascot, the grey defied a 9lb hike for that by impressively taking out the Ebor, and looks a Group horse in every sense of the word.
