Thursday’s Racing Tips – Cracksking can crack the bookies at Kempton

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It was a below-par day yesterday with only one selection winning from four.

Thunder Run ran out an impressive winner on the day and handled the ground much better than The Reverend, who should come on for the run next time out. Marley Park was denied a clear run in the straight after getting stuck behind a few horses. I don't think he would have won the race even with a clear passage and he was ultimately disappointing at a track he normally runs well at.

Both of Rizzel's fancies were very underwhelming. There was a very big drift on the Aidan O'Brien horse, who had an awful head carriage and was virtually pulled up by Ryan Moore. My Delilah at Bath broke slow from the gates, and despite having such a low weight against her rivals, she was outclassed and couldn't land a glove on the field.

Cairnzy's Tips

Cracksking 13/8 – Kempton 7.35

My main fancy of the day comes from at the evening meeting at Kempton.

I was initially tempted to go back on my word on ‘never backing The Goat again'. He finished second on his most recent outing, showing signs of a possible return to form. The horse has cost me enough money this year, and I'll stick to my word and leave him alone. Watch him bolt up by 5L and laugh in my face, it's written in the stars!

Anyway, onto my selection for the race!

I think the market leader Cracksking is worth siding with in this race. He is still lightly raced at the age of four, having only run nine times during his race career. He holds a pretty impressive strike rate when running on the AW, operating at a 50% strike rate, winning twice and placing twice in four runs on the surface.

He's been mainly campaigned over 1m2f, however the step up to 1m4f I feel is more his sort of trip. His most recent outing was over this same C&D, which saw him beat The Goat by a length and a quarter. I was impressed with how Cracksking picked up in the final furlong or so and he looked like a horse who had a bit in hand that day.

He is up 5lb for that success, but given Cracksing is still an unexposed horse over 1m4, I don't feel it will be enough to stop him going in again.

Salamanca City 7/4 – Yarmouth 4.30

My last selection of the day is Salamanca City, like my first selection, is also trained by James Fanshawe.

Salamanca City has been knocking at the door of late, and the application of a hood has seemingly sparked her back into life. She ran her best two runs to date, placing in handicap races at Leicester and Yarmouth. She contests here over the same C&D as two runs ago, and she shouldn't need to improve much to get off the mark.

Salamanca Bay improved from her third-placed effort at Leicester to finish second at Yarmouth on her most recent outing. She can probably count herself a tad unlucky on that occasion, bumping into Atlantic Gamble, a progressive-looking sort from the William Knight yard. She only went down by a length and a quarter in that race.

The form of that second has received a boost with Atlantic Gamble winning again next time out. On that evidence, Salamanca City must come here with a huge chance and a similar or slightly improved effort should see her off the mark in what looks like a pretty weak race on paper.

Rizzel's Tips

Mary's Pride 10/1  – Tipperary 5.40 (Each-Way 5pl)

Pure Logic 5/2 – Tipperary 8.30