Grade 1 runners return, an interesting chase debutant plus novice hurdlers to follow – Thursday's punting pointers

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

Lingfield: Moore success at Lingfield?

Gary Moore landed the 2m novice hurdle (2.55) with the useful Givega in 2022 before also having the runner-up last year, and he and son Josh saddle two this time in a bid for more success.

Taita Hills was last seen finishing fourth in a bumper in April last year and he makes his hurdles debut under Freddie Mitchell, while Miller Spirit, who has won five times on the Flat this year, gets the assistance of Niall Houlihan.

Moore said: "Taita Hills is quite a nice horse. He missed all of last season through no fault of his own – niggles and ground – and he wants soft ground.

"He's a great big horse and will probably have two runs and then go over fences as he's been placed in point-to-points. I like him a lot but he will benefit from the run.

"Miller Spirit has probably done his bit on the Flat now he's up to 97. I think it's slightly inflated as, without blowing my own trumpet, I thought he was well placed to win some moderate races. Touch wood he's a very good jumper of a hurdle.

"He goes on soft on the Flat and hopefully he can handle the ground at Lingfield, although it doesn't seem to get so bad there these days. If the Dan Skelton horse [Let It Rain] wasn't in the race you'd have to fancy him very strongly."

Miller Spirit14:55 Lingfield

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Jky: Niall Houlihan Tnr: Gary & Josh Moore

Lingfield stat: Pauling strike-rate

Ben Pauling has saddled three winners from four runners (75 per cent strike-rate) in handicap hurdles at Lingfield and a £1 stake on each of those would have yielded a profit of +£57.75. He saddles Just Chasing May (12.35) and Stardhem (2.20).

Musselburgh: Morgan 'can't wait' for Wild's chasing career

Musselburgh has been a happy hunting ground for Laura Morgan, with her ten winners in the last five seasons coming at a strike-rate of 30 per cent.

That figure improves to 44 per cent (8-18) when considering handicap chases, and she bids to improve on that figure when Wild Side Of Life lines up in the 2m7½f contest (2.45).

The six-year-old displayed plenty of promise when chasing home the Grade 1-placed Cherie D'Am on his hurdles debut and is likely to improve for fences, having won a point as well as finishing a five-length third to Ballyburn in that sphere.

Morgan said: "I can't wait to get him over a fence and I think he'll be a better horse. I think the track should suit him, he's a strong traveller and he jumps well, which obviously you've got to do at a sharp track. Hopefully it will be a good starting point for him.

"He was quite unlucky last year. When Harry Cobden rode him the ground was way too soft and I don't think he saw the trip out, while the rest of his runs were fairly solid considering he's a chaser. The day when Harry Reed fell off him at Cheltenham it was no fault of the horse, either, and I fancied him that day."

Wild Side Of Life14:45 Musselburgh

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Jky: Adam Wedge Tnr: L J Morgan

Taunton: interesting booking

Joint-trainers Philip Hobbs and Johnson White are in good form, having scored with four of their last nine runners, and the pair look to champion jockey Harry Cobden for the first time to continue their fine run.

Cobden has never ridden for the partnership, or even Hobbs before that, but gets the leg up on the JP McManus-owned Sassified in the 2m3f handicap hurdle (2.35).

The six-year-old hasn't scored over hurdles since October last year, but he was a good second at Wincanton last week and can benefit from the track nous of Cobden, who has ridden more winners than any other jockey at the course in the last five seasons.

Sassified14:35 Taunton

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Jky: Harry Cobden Tnr: Philip Hobbs & Johnson White

Taunton stat: top trainer

Joe Tizzard has struck with two of his three runners (67 per cent strike-rate) at the track this season. He saddles Honey Jack in the 3m novice handicap hurdle (12.15), Siam Park in the 2m½f novice hurdle (12.50) and Ventara in the 2m2f handicap chase (3.10).

Thurles: Grade 1 runners return

Willie Mullins has dominated the opening 2m2½f beginners' chase (12.05) in recent years and looks for his sixth win in a row in this contest when Mistergif and Western Diego line up.

Mistergif looked a smart prospect when winning a maiden hurdle at Limerick by 18 lengths on his stable debut for Mullins in January and was far from disgraced in Grade 1s at the Cheltenham Festival and Aintree's Grand National meeting.

Last year's Champion Bumper seventh Western Diego took a maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse in January and was last seen finishing third in a Grade 2 novice at the same course in March.

In a recent Racing Post stable tour, Mullins said: "Mistergif is a keen-going horse and hard on himself. He's by Zarak and not many of them end up over fences, but he looks like he should be suited by them.

"Aubrey McMahon of Temple Bloodstock picked Western Diego up at a dispersal sale. He's schooling well over fences and could prove to be one of the bargain buys of the season."