Huntingdon takes the lead on Thursday as the premier racing fixture featuring the £15,000 Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle at 3.30. Lingfield Park plays the supporting National Hunt role with an afternoon meeting on the sand at Southwell and an evening card at Kempton Park from 5.20 through to 8.50. Paul Jacobs offers his best bets of the day below.

Huntingdon Tips –

2.30 – Huntingdon – The step up to three miles is not sure to be in the favour of Stormhoek and the percentage call is to run with PINGARO DE LA VIRE after the nine-year-old jumped with such aplomb when winning over course and distance last time out. A five pound penalty is about right as that event had little strength in depth, but with Mud Monkey in the line-up this should be a proper test of stamina which will suit the selection along with the stamina laden Croan Rock. Only Witness would surely prefer quicker ground, while King Jack is not one to trust.

BET NOW – PINGARO DE LA VIRE

3.00 – Huntingdon – With Megastar a bitter disappointment this season and Owen Glendower having to concede weight all round, this could be a good opportunity for QASPAL to make a winning return following a year on the side lines. The Phillip Hobbs’ trained runner was rated 137 over hurdles and was always going to make a chaser; the market should tell us a whole lot more about his chance here.

BET NOW – QASPAL

3.30 – Huntingdon – As long as his recent run behind Montbazon at Newbury hasn’t taken too much out of him, then ALL THE ACES has every chance of landing this renewal of the Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle. The key to his chance could be the step up to two and a half miles and I expect the selection to have too much stamina for the progressive Nagpur; the latter takes a step up in class here.

BET NOW – ALL THE ACES

Southwell Tips –

2.10 – Southwell – An interesting starter to the day with the nine-year-old Bonnie Prince Blue the joker in the pack. For although thoroughly exposed, he has shaped well the last two times over six furlongs here without getting within range of the leaders. He does stay seven furlongs, but a well-run race could find him out and preference is for ACE MASTER who couldn’t produce his best on the faster surface at Wolverhampton, but is suited by this Fibresand seven and probably has most to fear from the penalised Mazovian.

BET NOW – ACE MASTER

3.10 – Southwell – Dunaskin is sure to make this a real test of stamina and as such pull the consistent OVERRULE into the contest. The selection was the only one to give Magic Millie a race last time out over C&D and should gain compensation here. Of the other rivals, Arkaim is arguably better over shorter, but Bennelong can be given a squeak off a mark of 67 having failed to shine on the faster Polytrack surface recently.

BET NOW – OVERRULE

5.10 – Southwell – I thought that SPACECRAFT was given a horrible ride here last time out by Joe Fanning and with Danny Brock taking an extra seven pounds off his back I fancy the consistent five-year-old to go close from a good stall position. The selection has a huge 15lbs pull for being beaten six lengths by Caledonia Prince and should reverse the form. The fly in the ointment could well be Thrust Control as on the balance of his form he has a fair shot off 57, while Hilbre Court is another experienced campaigner on this surface worthy of respect.

BET NOW - SPACECRAFT