Thursday Racing Tips: Punters to get Vocal at Newcastle

Jump racing holds sway across the UK and Ireland on Thursday with four meetings taking place across the afternoon before an evening all-weather card on the Flat.

First off is Market Rasen before Newcastle, Thurles and Wincanton. Wolverhampton rounds up the day’s action, taking us into the evening under lights.

Among our Thursday fancies is one for trainer James Moffatt, who has his string in the peak of good health. 

14:15 Market Rasen - The Same @ 5/2

Look out for The Same at Market Rasen as the Olly Murphy-trained gelding makes his debut over fences.

The son of Network opened his account at this track on his hurdling debut in March and confirmed he has ability in two subsequent efforts, placing both times under a penalty.

However, this big imposing sort was always likely to be biding his time over timber and has all the ingredients necessary to flourish over fences.

It was notable how well he jumped his hurdles last season, making a lovely shape and not recording a mistake in any of them - his previous experience in Irish points no doubt helping.

Put simply, chasing is going to be the making of this fella and the step up in trip will aid his cause too.

We can’t expect the demolition job he performed on his final start in Ireland but he’s just the sort to go through the grades now he’s switched disciplines and he has the look of a decent staying chaser in time. He’ll be hard to contain off a mark of 117.

14:25 Newcastle - Vocal Duke @ 10/3

A former winner off a mark of 111, James Moffatt’s Vocal Duke peaked at 119 earlier in the year before losing his form and dropping to a low of 105, but there was plenty of encouragement last time and he can get back in the winner’s enclosure at Gosforth Park this afternoon.

With cheekpieces deployed for the first time, the seven-year-old found plenty of his old mojo at Carlisle just over a month ago, hitting the front three out and battling on bravely to finish second to an ex-Irish hurdler who was making his stable debut for Jonjo O’Neill.

The third, who was just denied on his next outing, was nine lengths clear of the rest so the form looks solid for the grade and a subsequent rise of just 1lb shouldn’t hinder his chances, which are magnified by the terrific form of his yard.

Staggeringly, his trainer has tasted success with his last five runners, comprising a treble at Hexham followed by a double at Kelso.

With good value claimer Charlotte Jones retaining the ride and the gelding’s suitability for heavy ground now proven, he looks a good bet to bring up a sensational six-timer for his Cumbrian yard.

20:30 Wolverhampton - Sanction @ 4/1

What a fine third season trainer Ed Bethell has had - his first Group 1 winner still lingers in the memory - and he can strike again when Sanction contests the last race of the day, the nightcap at Dunstall Park.

The St Albans Bloodstock filly got her rating after three runs for William Haggas and looked a sharp improver once switched to Bethell and handicaps, winning her first “going away” (1m2f) and her second “unchallenged” (1m4f).

Upped to 1m6f for her next start, the Camelot filly found the combination of trip and soft ground too much at Nottingham last month, weakening having travelled well.

She should have little difficulty with this surface, her half-sister, high-class sprinter Sense Of Duty, having shown her best form at Newcastle and, coming off a nice 43-day break, she rates a confident selection to get back on track over 1m4f.

Find more Horse Racing Tips here at Betfred Insights