Betfair Hurdle and Cheltenham Festival runner-up makes chasing debut - punting pointers for Thursday's action

Punting pointers from each of Thursday's race meetings . . .

Bath: course specialist Albus Anne bids for more success

You would be hard pressed to find a horse with a smarter record at Bath than Albus Anne and she seeks to add another win to her name in the mile handicap (3.28) for Jimmy Fox. 

The five-year-old mare has finished outside the top two just once in five starts at the track, including two wins since September, with her sole result outside the placings when unsuccessfully stepping up to ten furlongs. 

She is back over her best trip now and is not ground-dependent, having won on soft and good on her last two Bath appearances, so the ease in the going on Thursday should pose no issue. 

Success would continue her Wiltshire-based trainer's fine form, Fox having won with two of his five runners this month prior to Wednesday's racing. 

Albus Anne15:28 Bath

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Jky: Tyrese Cameron (7lb)Tnr: Jimmy Fox

Chelmsford: can the Bests continue their fine form?

Jim and Suzi Best are in fantastic form and will aim to improve their career-best monthly tally with Arenas Del Tiempo in the mile fillies' handicap (8.00).

The husband-and-wife team have secured four winners from their last five runners, most recently with Camino Rocio at Wincanton on Sunday, and saddle their first runner since at Thursday's evening meeting. 

Arenas Del Tiempo has struggled to reach the winner's enclosure of late, with her last win coming in August 2021, but has now dropped to a mark of 65 and may benefit from the addition of a first-time visor. 

She returns to a mile for the first time in over two years but her last try over the trip resulted in a short-head second at Kempton, so she could respond well to this shorter distance.

Arenas Del Tiempo20:00 Chelmsford (A.W)

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Jky: Luke Morris Tnr: Jim & Suzi Best

Chelmsford stat: Hughes a profitable trainer to follow

Richard Hughes has a fine record at the all-weather track over the past five years, having sent out 40 winners, the joint-most at any course, for a £79.30 profit from a £1 level stake. He saddles Ballarat Bertie in the nursery (6.30) and Bint Havana Gold in the 6f handicap (7.00).

Newcastle: notable newcomer for Owen and Gredleys

A former Fillies' Mile contender makes her jumping debut at Newcastle and is in the capable hands of James Owen, who has already shown his prowess at converting Flat runners to hurdlers. 

Ambiente Amigo was tried at Group 1 level last year when based with Michael Bell and has had a busy summer on the Flat after moving to Owen's yard, placing at Listed level and finishing sixth in the Group 2 Park Hill Stakes last month. 

She now tries her hand at hurdling in Newcastle's opening juvenile event (1.15) and will be an interesting prospect against five rivals. She sports the yellow silks of the Gredley family, who teamed up with Owen to good effect with Royal Ascot scorer and subsequent Graded hurdle winner Burdett Road. 

Sam Twiston-Davies has ridden five winners and a second from eight mounts for Owen and bids to continue that superb strike-rate here.

Ambiente Amigo13:15 Newcastle

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Jky: Sam Twiston-Davies Tnr: James Owen

Newcastle stat: McLernon a jockey to watch

Jockey Richie McLernon enjoyed a strong record at Newcastle last season, with five winners from six rides. He picks up his first rides at the track this term with Sayva in the 2m1f maiden hurdle (2.15) and Coqolino in the 2m4f handicap chase (2.45).

Southwell: Achillea attempts double

Dean Ivory has a 33 per cent strike-rate at the Nottinghamshire track this year and the figure improves to a noteworthy 50 per cent in handicaps for three-year-olds and older. 

He bids to notch a third winner from five runners in that sphere with Achillea, who attempts back-to-back wins in the opening fillies' handicap (4.10).

The four-year-old steps up to a mile and three furlongs for the first time but won well over ten furlongs last time out when she enjoyed the return to the all-weather after running on turf this autumn. 

Off a rating of 68, Achillea receives 4lb from the joint top-rated D Day Arvalenreeva, but three-year-old Carpathian and the hat-trick-seeking Caramay could be dangers. 

Caramay is rated 3lb higher than when successful at this track and trip a fortnight ago under Hollie Doyle but Tyler Heard, who steered her to victory at Wolverhampton last month, is back on board.

Achillea16:10 Southwell (A.W)

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Jky: Robert Havlin Tnr: Dean Ivory

Stratford: classy handicap hurdler goes chasing

Betfair Hurdle and County Hurdle runner-up L’Eau du Sud makes his chasing debut at trainer Dan Skelton’s local track Stratford.

The six-year-old’s four rivals in the feature 2m3½f handicap chase (2.05) have 30 combined starts over fences between them so this will not be a straightforward opening assignment for the Scottish Champion Hurdle fifth.

Envious Editor won a hunter chase in May on his last visit to this track while Walking On Air, beaten a neck by subsequent Grade 2 winner Henry’s Friend when trained by Nicky Henderson, makes his stable debut for Gary Brown after being bought for £44,000.

Dual chase winner No Risk Des Flos is rated 7lb lower than for his last success at Wetherby in January 2023. On the nine-year-old’s first start since wind surgery, trainer Olly Murphy said: “He's dropping down the handicap and should be capable of winning a nice race off this mark.”

L'Eau du Sud14:05 Stratford

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Jky: Harry Skelton Tnr: Dan Skelton

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