Thursday Racing Tips: Cruise can control things at Newcastle

There are four scheduled meetings across Britain and Ireland on Thursday, with a three-strong quota of jumps meetings in the afternoon dominating matters.

The National Hunt cards will come from Naas, Taunton and Newcastle across the afternoon, before evening fare on the Polytrack at Chelmsford City. Warwick were forced to abandon their card, with parts of the track unraceable.

We have a trio of fancies, including No Cruise Yet for Sam and Jonathan England at Newcastle.

12:30 Newcastle - No Cruise Yet @ 9/4

Sam and Jonathan England will have major hopes as No Cruise Yet makes the trip to Gosforth Park this afternoon for the Living North Magazines Handicap Chase over just shy of three-miles.

The stamina-laden eight-year-old was third in the Eider Chase at this venue back in February in his only previous visit, overhauled only late on by star stayer and leading Grand National contender Kitty's Light.

That was over a journey in excess of four-miles and No Cruise Yet once more showed his love of a stamina-test when inched out at the end of 3m5f in the Durham National at Sedgefield on his comeback in October.

The winner, Tommie Beau, has landed the Southern National at Fontwell since and, from only 2lb higher in the ratings, compensation may away No Cruise Yet now.

Though he clearly stays further, No Cruise Yet has winning form at this sort of trip as well and his proven stamina will surely be an asset in the testing conditions today.

13:30 Taunton - Coastal Rock @ 9/1

The Jetset Tours And Flights Novices' Hurdle at Taunton may offer a good starting point over jumps for Coastal Rock.

Harry Fry's four-year-old ran well for a long way in a Wincanton bumper in April on his Rules bow, getting outpaced in the final two-furlongs over the 1m7f trip but showing a good attitude nonetheless in being denied finishing third right on the line.

The front two in that contest were trained by Paul Nicholls and Emma Lavelle respectively and both made winning starts to their own hurdles careers – both at Wincanton – in recent months.

Fry does well with his runners at Taunton – boasting a 30 per-cent strike-rate in 2023 thus far – and this could be another one for him.

Market leader Ballee won over timber here last month but that was a race in which only the front three played any significant part and – with a 7lb penalty to carry now – Philip Hobbs' charge should have more on his plate. Listed bumper winner Larchmont Lass is another danger.

19:30 Chelmsford - Mr Trick @ 7/2

Top-weight Headingley is dangerous off a mark of 71 if finding form on this third start back from more than a year off but the claims of Mr Trick are more appealing at this point.

The Ian Williams-trained Kodiac gelding hasn't got the best strike-rate at just 2-34 but he has rattled the crossbar twice already this month at Lingfield and Wolverhampton over this sort of trip, denied a nose and a short-head in those runner-up finishes.

He races from an unchanged mark this evening and those recent runs were his first attempts beyond an extended-mile so he retains scope for better at this distance and is surely going to get his head in front soon given the current mood.