There are six race meetings on a busy Thursday, four in Britain and two in Ireland, headlined by the start of Ayr’s three-day Gold Cup Festival (2.00-5.35pm).
There are also Flat meetings at Pontefract (1.15-4.20), Yarmouth (2.40-5.40) and Chelmsford (4.25-8.30), the last of those on the all-weather. In Ireland, they race on the Flat at Naas (2.45-6.15) and over jumps at Tramore (1.00-4.05).
Our nap selection goes in the opening race at Ayr in what is Scotland’s richest Flat race meeting.
Horse racing tips today from Ayr and Pontefract
Enda McElhinney is back with his three Thursday horse racing tips. Scroll down to read the expert analysis that led him to his picks.
Odds correct at time of publishing and may be subject to change.
Already have a bet365 account? Take a look at more great free bets offers for new customers
Horse racing tip today: Ayr, 2.00 – Express start for Mulrennan
Paul Mulrennan rides as many winners around Ayr as most in the weighing room and he can get his Festival off to a flyer with NORTHERN EXPRESS for trainer Michael Dods in this one-mile opener.
The Zoffany colt made a winning start to his career over 7½f at Beverley 21 days ago and the manner of that success is encouraging despite the 6lb penalty he carries for that success.
He got stronger with every yard on that occasion, coming from the rear of the field to pull away in the company of Il Bandito and holding off that rival by three-quarters of a length.
Today’s extra half a furlong can therefore be viewed as favourable and the form of that debut run already reads well. The runner-up filled the same berth next time and Bear Me In Mind, the fourth home, won at Leicester next time.
With normal improvement from the first to second run, Mulrennan’s mount should be hard to peg back in a race where the newcomer Simons King looks the one he may fear most.
Tip: Northern Express (Ayr, 2.00) @ 1/1 with bet365
Horse racing tips today: Ayr, 5.00 – Lyons not tamed yet
LYONS LANE had her winning sequence halted at three last time out at Windsor but there’s a chance her progress hasn’t been stopped.
The Showcasing filly won over 5f at Thirsk and Hamilton either side of a course-and-distance win over the same trip here in July. She handled a variety of ground in that sequence but, even so, the fact that ‘heavy’ crept into the going description at Windsor last time may not have helped her case.
Her winning sequence commenced from a lowly mark of 44 in early July and she had progressed to run off 67 in that Windsor effort 19 days ago.
She didn’t get the breaks in running and was forced to sit and suffer behind the leader before a gap eventually came deep inside the final furlong. It was too late by that stage but the outcome might have been different had she got the breaks some 2½ furlongs from home when they were needed.
With her mark unchanged, Julie Camacho’s challenger may well remain on an upward curve that man Mulrennan on board and, hopefully, more luck in running.
Tip: Lyons Lane (Ayr, 5.00) @ 11/1 with bet365
Horse racing tips today: Pontefract, 3.50 – Duck looks appetising
DUCK AND VANISH was expected to build on a promising Lingfield second when he ran at Doncaster in early June. He was sent off the 11/8 favourite but his race never looked like going to plan and he was never able to mount a serious challenge, finishing seventh.
On that previous outing at Lingfield he had returned from 246 days off in first-time tongue-tie and took nicely to the 1m 4f trip on the Polytrack only to be beaten in a photo by Summer House.
He is back in a maiden here with James Doyle on board and has undergone a second wind surgery and a gelding operation since that midsummer mishap.
On his previous Lingfield form, he is the one to beat and there could be plenty more in him.
Tip: Duck And Vanish (Pontefract, 3.50) @ 7/4 with bet365
