13:05
Limerick
Odds correct as of 9:52am 15th Apr
Thursday provides another feast of top-drawer racing at HQ, with the first four races being live on ITV once again, and the Craven Stakes is the big one. Limerick, Ripon and Hereford provide the day’s other fixtures and we’re going to take a look at some of the more intriguing aspects, including three impeccably bred Willie Mullins runners, the race of the day and a 25/1 outsider in Newmarket‘s opener. Check out our free tips page for daily content across British and Irish racing.
Keep an eye out for Willie Mullins’ runners at Limerick on Thursday, as there are three with impeccable breeding who should be added to your trackers.
Ballyburn’s half-sister Babyburn runs in the opening maiden and there should be plenty more to come from her. Admittedly she was very disappointing when well beaten in a bumper on debut at Fairyhouse in December but perhaps the switch to hurdles and the step up in trip can help.
Casual Water makes his debut in a three-mile maiden hurdle later on in the card and the five-year-old is a half-brother to the brilliant two-mile chaser Altior. It’ll be interesting to see how he gets on, especially as connections have opted to start him off over a much longer trip.
Gaelic Warrior produced a monster performance to win the Gold Cup with ease in March and his brother Sparkling Wit is set to make his debut in the concluding bumper. He’s one of the most interesting runners of the day and expectations will be very high.
The Craven Stakes is a recognised trial for the 2000 Guineas, as it’s run over the same course and distance is somewhat prestigious. It hasn’t produced too many Guineas winners in recent years but Aidan O’Brien’s Hawk Mountain will be hoping to buck that trend. He bolted up in the Beresford Stakes last season and followed up in a Group 1 at Doncaster. Could he be Ballydoyle’s big Guineas hope?
It’s fair to say that Newmarket isn’t too local to Lanarkshire-based trainer Jim Goldie, but that’s not stopping him on Thursday. The track is 373 miles away and he runs two in the same race.
Jordan Electrics is a 10-year-old now and has been badly out of form for a while. He was last of 14 on seasonal debut at Musselburgh earlier this month and it’s hard to see him making the frame.
Gangsta Man produced a much more encouragung performance in the same race last time and finished second by a short head. Previously trained in Ireland, he won at Gowran last term and there could be more to come from him as a four-year-old.
Mark Walford and Jason Hart have a 60 per cent strike-rate when combining at Ripon, which means Spioradalta could be one to watch on Thursday. The six-year-old was a course and distance winner with Hart on board last term and is entitled to be competitive off this sort of mark.
Enricher (25/1, bet365) has only had four starts to date and is set to make his handicap debut here. He wasn’t disgraced when fifth in a decent maiden at Goodwood in July and went on to win with plenty in hand at Wolverhampton after that. There could be any amount of improvement still to come.
Daniel & Claire Kubler (67 per cent strike-rate)
5.20 Newmarket – Percy’s Lad and Crimson Spirit
Charlie Appleby (58 per cent strike-rate)
1.50 Newmarket – Treanmor and Silent Applause
2.25 Newmarket – Crown Knott
3.00 Newmarket – Beckford’s Folly
3.35 Newmarket – Hidden Force
4.10 Newmarket – Hassaleh
4.45 Newmarket – Maho Bay
If you back any of our selections you can watch them live on the free Racing Post app or racingpost.com. Simply log in to one of your bookmaker accounts and click ‘Watch live’ on the racecards.