Matt Brocklebank is in the hotseat with the Thursday selections - his Nap in action on the card at Ffos Las.
Thursday selections
DOCTOR KILDARE - 16:00 Ffos Las (NAP)
The Sam Thomas yard (no winner since May) is surely going to take off sooner rather than later and Katate Dori's weekend effort at Cheltenham was encouraging. The trainer has three chances at Ffos Las on Thursday and DOCTOR KILDARE is fancied to make a successful start over fences in the extended three-mile handicap chase. He's had nearly a year off but resumes with a new headgear combination of cheekpieces (to go with the tongue-tie worn before) and he's rated only 4lb higher than when scoring over hurdles at Hereford last November. He's bred to be a better chaser and he won't mind the prevailing ground.
DRAKARIS - 14:50 Stratford
DRAKARIS looks a likely improver now sent down the handicap route at Stratford. The mare ran a couple of reasonable races in defeat during her time in bumpers and now goes handicapping over hurdles from a moderate mark after four qualifying runs. Harry Skelton picks up the ride for the first time in her career and, upped slightly in trip here, significant progress could be in the offing.
UP THE ANTI - 15:42 Bath
UP THE ANTI looked back on song when beaten half a length in second at Ffos Las last month and William Carson takes over from 5lb claimer Myla Coppins in the saddle at Bath. Tony Carroll's filly won over this course and distance on testing ground from precisely the same handicap mark this time last year and looks primed to go well. Stall 16 (of 17) might not be ideal on paper, but it isn't necessarily a bad spot in heavy conditions here so she gets the vote.
KHALEEJY - 19:00 Southwell
The 0-95 seven-furlong handicap is the best race on the card at Southwell by some margin and a strong pace looks all but assured. KHALEEJY put in a cracking effort when conceding lumps of weight to the three-year-olds at Kempton when last seen and, based on that form, he's reasonably well treated now sent handicapping from a mark of 87. The five-year-old son of Sea The Stars clearly has one or two issues given he's so lightly raced but it's unlikely we've seen the best of him on track just yet. He's clearly effective at this intermediate trip and could be worth chancing with the Mohammed/Santos yard among the winners at this venue just last week.
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