Tony McFadden provides an overview of the key things to note on the racing front on Wednesday.
Three points of interest
Stephen Thorne a trainer in form
Stephen Thorne has made a promising start to his training career and a better one than a strike rate of 15% would suggest. Thorne has had eight winners from 53 runners but a further 19 have finished placed and his percentage of rivals beaten stands at an impressive 70.3%. That places Thorne second on that metric - behind only Pat Flynn - among trainers who have had 20 Flat runners since October 17 (the date of Thorne's first runners).
Thorne's horses have certainly been going well since the turn of the year and he has had three winners, two seconds and three thirds from eight runners in 2025.
He has four runners at Dundalk on Wednesday with Pink Oxalis an especially interesting contender in the seven-furlong handicap (16:17).
Pink Oxalis shaped well when fourth in a mile handicap here on her first start for Thorne, travelling better than most, and she backed up that positive impression when runner-up over this course and distance last time. Pink Oxalis again travelled well but she had her momentum checked and conceded first run as a result, leaving the impression that she may have given the winner (who has scored again since) something to think about had she been able to play her hand a bit sooner. That eye-catching effort earned her Timeform's Horse In Focus Flag.
A pair likely to be suited by a change in distance
Tropical Retreat pulled far too hard when fourth in a six-furlong maiden at Dundalk on debut so it probably reflects well on her ability that she was beaten less than a length and a half in fourth.
Tropical Retreat was awarded Timeform's Horse In Focus Flag for that display, marking her out as one likely to remain of interest, and her report signed off with the comment that she "should improve and looks worth a try at 5f".
She gets that drop in trip in the opening five-furlong maiden (14:17), while it's also possible that she will settle better with that freshness out of her system, so she strikes as a likely improver.
Later on the card, Mister Adam appeals as one who should be suited by the step up in trip in the extended mile-and-a-quarter maiden (15:17).
He was an encouraging fourth in a big-field mile maiden on debut at the Curragh in November but is out of Irish St Leger winner Voleuse de Coeurs so looks likely to benefit from this stiffer test of stamina.
A handicap debutant who looks to have got in lightly
The pick of the action at Kempton is the six-furlong handicap (19:30) and there's a standout contender on Timeform's figures in Trouble Man.
Trouble Man is the only runner in the line-up with the Timeform 'small p', to highlight he is likely to show better form, and he is also 3 lb clear on Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings which suggests he has been handed a lenient mark for his handicap debut.
He has had only two starts so far but built on his debut promise when winning a five-furlong novice at Wolverhampton last month and that form is working out nicely as two subsequent winners have emerged, including the runner-up who scored cosily next time, while a couple of others showed improved form when subsequently placed.
The strength Trouble Man showed in the straight to overhaul the leader late on suggests he'll benefit from stepping back up to six furlongs and he stands out as the one to beat.
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