Thursday Racing Tips: Chief looks set to rule

The jumps season is in full swing and, with the added compliment of the all-weather, there are four meetings - at Market Rasen, Clonmel, Southwell and Chelmsford - to get stuck into across Britain and Ireland on Thursday.

Amongst our fancies is one for trainer Alan King who unleashes a highly-promising sort that was narrowly denied on hurdles debut at Ludlow.

12:30 Market Rasen - Kartoon And Co @ 11/4

Dan Skelton’s gelding Kartoon And Co will be looking to build on the perfect start he made to his career at Stratford and, with the yard hitting form, he looks sure to be primed for another big run.

The Balko gelding made no mistake on his first hurdles assignment. Jumping more proficiently than his rivals and asserting his dominance on the turn for home for a comfortable success.

Whilst the worth of that form is questionable, he could do no more than was asked and that experience gained should not be underestimated here.

Sets a clear form standard for the hurdling debutants to aim at and despite having to give away 7lbs to the rest of the field, could prove tough to peg back in this.

13:05 Market Rasen - The Doyen Chief @ 4/9

A former point and bumper winner, Alan King’s The Doyen Chief looks to hold standout claims after his near miss first time out over hurdles at Ludlow.

The Doyen gelding didn’t get very far on his first point to point outing at Lingstown departing at the first. However, given he started that day at odds of 1/2 it showed the high regard he was clearly held in.

That experience seemingly did little to dent his confidence as a week later at Ballindenisk he was a smooth scorer, rewarding the faith shown in him.

He cost current connections a pretty penny when fetching £110,000 at the Cheltenham sales and went some way to justifying that price tag when comfortably landing the prize on rules debut in a Hereford bumper. Travelling kindly throughout, before being sent about his business to assert and was well on top at the line.

Last time out on his first start over hurdles, he made stylish ground having been held up through the early stages, to throw down a serious and persistent challenge to the Nicky Henderson trained odds-on shot Choccabloc, only going down narrowly by a short head.

With that experience under his belt and already setting the form standard, this looks an ideal opportunity to get his first win over hurdles on the board before moving on to better things.

17:00 Chelmsford - Fantizzy @ 33/1

One flying well below the radar at Chelmsford City is Fantizzy, who is set to have her first start for the Charlie Wallis yard.

The daughter of Cityscape rather lost her way for previous trainer Steph Hollinshead, only beating one home in three outings.

Whilst that hardly inspires much confidence, former trainer Tom Dascombe deemed the filly worthy of an entry in the Pretty Polly Listed Stakes at Newmarket where she managed a fair sixth place finish.

Having previously hinted at ability early this year, it is hoped that a change of scenery can put a spring in her step and spark her back to life. Now 7lbs lower than when placed off a mark of 72 at Nottingham, any revival will leave her looking a well-handicapped prospect.