Nottingham Racecourse: Preview and Tips for Thursday’s Eight-Race Card

Read on for a full preview of and tips for the Nottingham card, courtesy of Betano, who provide all the latest horse racing odds ..

Our first race is an extended mile two-year-olds’ novice (1.30). Tom Clover’s Pure Moon and Charlie Fellowes’ Always A Saint are the newcomers here, but they will have to do well on their first tries to get past Ed Walker’s filly Charlotte Corday, who has run well on good-to-soft ground and could be the best placed to win this for a trainer whose juveniles are doing quite well this term.

Next is a six-furlong nursery handicap (2.00). Richard Fahey’s Valor Spirit might have a chance, having shown ability on soft ground last time at Ayr and ridden by a seven-pound claimer. Up The Agenda wears first time cheekpieces for a step down in trip from seven furlongs and could be a factor under Rob Hornby, but Tom Ward’s Madman could be even better placed at the weights to win today, given three pounds by Alec Voikhansky.

Race three is a six-furlong handicap (2.30). Phil McEntee’s Bill Plumb wears first-time cheekpieces, having won last time out at Yarmouth and, therefore, carries a five pound penalty. That might be hard to shoulder in these conditions, making Philip Makin’s Annie Edson Taylor look quite tempting , having proven that she can act on this ground and is at a feasible mark too.

Following is a two and a quarter mile handicap (3.00). Four of the 10 runners come here having won their last starts; Trojan Sun, Rupert The Prince, Action Pact and Both Of Us, with the latter looking perhaps the most likely to repeat that form here. Declan Carroll’s Ruler Legend can get on with soft ground too and might be capable of a good race under three-pound claimer Zak Wheatley.

The fifth race is an extended mile handicap (3.30). Pam Sly’s Wrydcroft seeks a hat-trick here, having won his last two starts over seven furlongs, and certainly is not out of contention here. Mark Walford’s Oilisa could be a player, having won her last start on heavy ground at Ayr and could be at the right end of the weights today. Peter Chapple-Hyam’s Charming Fellow, though, looks more likely in first-time cheekpieces under a five-pound claimer.

Race six is the first division of a mile and three quarters handicap (4.00). Faye Bramley’s new recruit, Whatcombe, could have a real chance here, preferring softer ground and - if that is the case - could prove to be well treated, especially if a chance of scene has done him some good. Billy Loughnane’s ride Sawgrass might have now hit a workable mark too and he could run well here for trainer Hughie Morrison.

The second division (4.32) has a field of nine, of which John Mackie’s Swinging London is the only last-start winner. With a penalty, he doesn’t look overly likely to win again, but ought to be able to pick up a place. Ed de Giles’ Run Of Luck is now back down to his last winning mark and, given five pounds by rider Liam Wright, could have a nice chance on ground he should be able to handle.

Last of all is a mile and a quarter handicap (5.05). Another ridden by Billy Loughnane, Princess Amber could now be down to a winnable mark and, having been given plenty of time since her last run at Kempton, could be primed to strike here. Gary and Josh Moore’s Joycean Way is a consistent type who was third of 12 on this mark last time at Brighton over a mile and could make up the placings up in trip here.