Ben Linfoot steers you through Thursday's action, from an ex-Willie Mullins horse making their debut for Olly Murphy to Charlie Appleby's record with unraced 3YOs.
1. American Tom makes debut for Murphy
1.10 Leicester – click here for full racecard & free video form
Once upon a time you wouldn’t have thought AMERICAN TOM would end up in an £8,000 seller at Leicester. Trained by Willie Mullins and owned by Rich Ricci, this horse was fairly prominent in Cheltenham Festival markets after winning his first two starts – spaced 13 months apart – for his famous connections. Things didn’t work out for him and he never made it to Cheltenham, but he still showed a useful level of form, relative to Thursday’s opposition certainly, when rated a 140s chaser in the early part of last year. So it’s interesting he was purchased for £6,500 at the Goffs horses-in-training sale and sent to Olly Murphy, a trainer that’s had 15 horses from other yards win for him on debut from 56 runners at 27 per cent. Perhaps those figures will look even better after American Tom’s debut for Murphy in the Doves Selling Hurdle and he definitely adds a splash of interest to the Leicester card.
2. Nation bids to be best of the Southwell seven
1.20 Southwell - click here for full racecard & free video form
There are a couple of good races at Southwell on Thursday with the sunracing.co.uk Handicap at 1.55 featuring the 91-rated MR TOP HAT and last week’s course and distance winner WELD AL EMARAT. The latter is 3lb wrong at the weights under a 6lb penalty but has a fine record at the track, winning three times from four goes and finishing second on the other occasion. Fibresand favourites are in plentiful supply on the card as the previous race, the Betway Sprint Handicap over five furlongs, features no less than seven course and distance winners in an eight-runner field, ORNATE being the odd one out. ACCLAIM THE NATION beat him, SAMOVAR and ERISSIMUS MAXIMUS on his Southwell debut on December 21 and has claims of going in again off just 2lb higher.
3. Smith looks for Sharp Response
2.45 Catterick - click here for full racecard & free video form
Sue Smith has won the last three renewals of the Watt Fences North Yorkshire Grand National Handicap Chase with Lackamon, Straidnahanna and I Just Know, and SHARP RESPONSE is her stayer of choice for the Catterick marathon this year. A winner over 3m2f off a mark of 124 at Carlisle back in October, the eight-year-old has struggled off his new mark in the mid-130s since, but he’s had some tough assignments and this looks easier. He’s run behind Rock The Kasbah at Cheltenham, behind Lake View Lad in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle and behind Daklondike in the Tommy Whittle at Haydock, his four-length fourth in the middle of those runs his best effort. This is a drop in class and he only takes on five rivals, while he’s one from one at Catterick after beating Red Infantry at the track last February. He likes good ground, too, so he looks to have solid claims of making it four in a row in the North Yorkshire Nash for the Smith stable.
4. Chelmsford Charlie has the Edge
5.15 Chelmsford - click here for full racecard & free video form
The Extra Places At totesport.com Novice Stakes at Chelmsford has a last-time out John Gosden winner (NEW KING) and a one-from-one Mark Johnston raider (THEMAXWECAN) among its number, but they both have to saddle 7lb penalties for their successes. That brings the unraced Godolphin pair into things, AMERICAN GRAFFITI and KINVER EDGE, a duo that are both trained by Charlie Appleby who has a tremendous record with this type of horse. Overall Appleby has had 34 3YO newcomers win from 108 goes at 31 per cent, but those numbers are even better when you isolate the all-weather tracks (17 wins, 45 runs, 38 per cent). The market is likely to be the best guide as both are likely types on pedigree, while jockey bookings might not offer much of a clue either. Adam Kirby rides Kinver Edge and he’s ridden plenty for Appleby (82 wins from 286 at 29 per cent), but Jack Mitchell is on American Graffiti and he’s four from five for the trainer.
