Thursday Racing Tips: Willie Mullins sends one runner to Cork with a big chance

Jump racing dominates across Britain and Ireland on Thursday with four meetings taking place across the afternoon and into the evening.

First off is Chepstow before they go at Cork and Ludlow, followed by an all-weather card at Southwell in the evening. Amongst our Thursday racing tips is one for trainer Willie Mullins, who can continue his fine run of form after an incredible week at the Cheltenham Festival.

14:53 Cork - Cadoudal Saint @ 5/4

Paul Townend and Willie Mullins teamed up to have an unbelievable week at the Cheltenham Festival last week, and it has to be hugely interesting that Mullins sends one sole runner to Cork on Thursday.

That runner is CADOUDAL SAINT, a six-year-old son of Saint Des Saints who takes his chance in the 2m4f maiden hurdle. A point winner for Gerald Quinn in February 2023, he was picked up for £150k after that success.

Sent off long odds-on for his rules debut in a Limerick bumper in December, he set a moderate pace on the front end but got outpaced in the closing stages and had to settle for third. The step up in trip on hurdling debut should see him in a better light.

15:23 Cork - Shana Cloon @ 9/2

Trainer Gavin Cromwell won this 2m4f handicap hurdle two years ago with Sweet Will, and the in-form handler has another golden opportunity this year with SHANA CLOON, who will be ridden by Keith Donoghue.

Testing conditions will prove to be no issue for the five-year-old mare, who has been placed in her last four outings, all of which were on either soft or heavy ground.

Shana Cloon is yet to find the winner's enclosure in 11 attempts, but she ran a big race when stepped back up to 2m4f when third to Balum at Punchestown and she has to enter the reckoning off just 1lb higher.

16:55 Southwell - Tortured Soul @ 10/11

Moving on to the evening card on the all-weather at Southwell, and Tony Carroll's TORTURED SOUL can bring up the five-timer in the hands of talented 5lb claimer Ethan Jones in the opening 1m4f apprentice handicap.

Jones rode five winners last year, but he is already at nine wins in 2024, and it's no surprise he has been booked to ride this progressive four-year-old son of Zoffany as the handicapper is starting to catch up with him.

Tortured Soul ran seven times for Ger Lyons in Ireland without success, but he has won six of his seven starts for Carroll, going from an opening British mark of 49 up to his current rating of 73 in just three months.

He won snugly at Kempton last week when sent off a strong even-money favourite, and he will take a lot of beating in his current form.

Find more Horse Racing Tips here at Betfred Insights.