Popular Flat handicapper goes back over hurdles and a course specialist to note - Friday's punting pointers

Punting pointers for some of today's meetings . . .

Doncaster: hat-trick seeker

Kick Up A Storm bids to complete a hat-trick in the opening 3m½f handicap hurdle (11.55) for conditional and amateur riders. Harry Cobden missed two months of the season recovering from a knee injury after being unseated from the Paul Nicholls-trained six-year-old at Stratford in July.

However, the champion jockey returned to steer him to victory at Wincanton last month before the son of Shantou followed up at Exeter under Freddie Gingell.

Billy Broomfield will aim to continue the trend of a different jockey partnering Kick Up A Storm to success at a different track when the 17-year-old amateur has only his third ride under rules.

The teenager's last ride under rules came when finishing second on Len Brennan in a hunter chase at Newton Abbot in May.

Kick Up A Storm11:55 Doncaster

View Racecard

Jky: Mr Billy Broomfield (5lb)Tnr: Paul Nicholls

Doncaster stat: Barton Knoll aims for third race win

Barton Knoll won Doncaster's 2m3f handicap chase (2.05) in 2020 and 2021 and, having finished fifth behind the reopposing Mackenberg in 2022, could enhance his 66 per cent strike-rate in the race.

Barton Knoll14:05 Doncaster

View Racecard

Jky: Sean Quinlan Tnr: John Mackie

Dundalk: can all-weather switch cure seconditis?

Ascending attempts to end a severe bout of seconditis in Dundalk's feature 2m handicap (7.00).

The five-year-old chased home Cheltenham Festival winner Seddon at Listowel in September before being beaten half a length by Smooth Tom at the Curragh last time.

The son of Awtaad was second on his final two starts for Clive Cox before joining Henry de Bromhead, meaning that he has finished runner-up on his last four Flat outings.

Ascending was fourth in Grade 1 juvenile company at last year's Dublin Racing Festival before finishing fifth behind Lossiemouth in the 2023 Triumph Hurdle.

De Bromhead is hoping Ascending can make a successful all-weather debut before adding a belated hurdles success to his CV.

"He's been running well on the Flat and we'll maybe go for a maiden hurdle at Christmas," said De Bromhead. "His maiden hurdle form is good and hopefully he can win one."

Ascending19:00 Dundalk (A.W)

View Racecard

Jky: W J Lee Tnr: Henry De Bromhead

Musselburgh: Eagle reverts to hurdling

Wise Eagle returns to Musselburgh for only his second start over hurdles, 1,396 days on from when he finished second in a juvenile race at Catterick on his hurdling and stable debut for Adam Nicol.

Wise Eagle was 66-1 on that occasion in December 2020, and has subsequently continued to outperform expectations after being bought for 7,000gns from Tom Clover.

A seven-time winner on the Flat for current connections, he holds form figures of 12111 at the track and runs in the 1m7½f maiden hurdle (12.38).

Nicol said: "He seems in great form and I thought it was time for a change. We had this race in mind about six weeks ago. He's getting a little bit wise on the Flat and now he's older it's time for a change.

"We've schooled him every now and then, and he was actually bought to be a dual-purpose horse with the idea of being more a hurdler."

Wise Eagle12:38 Musselburgh

View Racecard

Jky: Craig Nichol Tnr: Adam Nicol

Musselburgh stat: Soldier aims for fourth track victory

Four of David Killahena and Graeme McPherson's seven runners at Musselburgh last season won (57%) and Sunday Soldier, who provided three of those victories, is the trainers' first representative at the track this term (2.20).

Sunday Soldier14:20 Musselburgh

View Racecard

Jky: Richie McLernon Tnr: David Killahena & Graeme McPherson

Thurles: Champion Bumper runner goes hurdling

C'Est Ta Chance was beaten only a short-head by subsequent Grade 1 third William Munny on his rules debut at Navan in January, so it will be fascinating to see how he fares on his first outing over hurdles at Thurles.

Daryl Jacob rode the five-year-old to finish 13th in the Champion Bumper, won by the fellow Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned Jasmin De Vaux, before Patrick Mullins was fourth on him at Ayr in April.

C'Est Ta Chance has not been seen since but is the choice of Paul Townend of the Willie Mullins-trained pair in the 2m maiden hurdle (1.00). Brian Hughes rides stablemate My Lyka, who was recruited from the Flat in France, whereas Townend's mount won a Comea point-to-point.

Mullins said in his Racing Post stable tour that C'Est Ta Chance looked more of a stayer than a speed horse, so would probably need "a trip".