Leicester Tips: Carismatic Soldier to thrive for in-form team

There are four UK meetings taking place on Thursday, and my focus is on the card at Leicester where they race from 12:25-15:35 with seven races due off on ground forecast as heavy on the hurdles course and soft, good to soft in places on the chase course.

Read on for my Leicester Tips, featuring a hurdling debutant for a trainer/jockey combination that's bang in-form.

12:25 - Lawrenny @ 5/1

The Jennie Candlish-trained LAWRENNY couldn't have been called the winner anywhere bar on the line when landing a heavy-ground bumper at Newcastle over 2m1f back in March.

That was a third start in that sphere for the Black Sam Bellamy gelding and, while he moved into contention off the home bend, the front two appeared to have it between them with a furlong to run, only for Sean Quinlan's partner to eventually get up a head of steam and charge home on the outside to prevail by a head.

He had run well on both previous bumper starts at Bangor-on-Dee and Sedgefield and his proven ability on heavy ground bodes well for this hurdling bow.

The step up in trip to this extended two-and-a-half-miles is also a positive given it took him a while to find full cry in that spring success.

He will have to hit the ground running to lower the colours of Stratford runner-up Sixmilebridge for Fergal O'Brien but he might prove up to it.

13:25 - Carismatic Soldier @ 6/4

Olly Murphy is hoping to help push Sean Bowen to a first jockeys' title this season, with the trainer-jockey combination on top form after the most successful month in their careers in November.

The Warren Chase Stables handler sent out 24 winners in November - four more than his previous best month in November 2021 - and Bowen rode 30 winners, five more than his 25 winners in July last year.

They could team up with hurdles debutant CARISMATIC SOLDIER for success at Leicester.

The Soldier of Fortune gelding was second in a bumper at Huntingdon (2m, soft) in March on his debut, clear of the rest behind Emma Lavelle's Ma Shantou.

That form looks solid, with the winner scoring over timber at Warwick last month on the second attempt in this sphere after finishing second in a hot maiden hurdle at Wincanton in October.

Carismatic Soldier will handle conditions underfoot and should be well schooled for this initial jumping test.

Inside Man sets the standard for Jane Williams and won at Exeter last month, but must prove he can replicate that now on much slower ground sporting a first-time hood and conceding upwards of 10lb to his five rivals.

15:00 - Shantwopointfive @ 11/4

SHANTWOPOINTFIVE lost little in defeat on her hurdles bow at Fontwell in May over 2m2f, laying up with Nicky Henderson's Break My Soul for most of the race and finishing second behind the odds-on jolly despite facing a challenge for that placing late on.

The winner has twice run well in good events at Ascot last month, while Warren Greatrex's mare obliged soon after that Fontwell run in a maiden hurdle over 2m6f at Cartmel and has been off since.

The Irish point winner went close in a bumper at Southwell on heavy ground in April after a break, so should have no worries on this ground or returning from a break.

An opening mark of 107 is workable and the promising Daire Davis is well worth his 7lb claim to further boost hopes at a trip sure to suit.

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