Thursday brings six meetings, with Ayr riding Heavy and Bath on Good. Two of our three picks run at Bath, where the going is fair, and the each-way selection runs at Ayr.
Thursday's selections
| Bet | Race | Horse | Price | Stake |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NAP | 5:25 Bath | Courageous Sioux | SP | 2 pts win |
| Next best | 4:21 Bath | Crimson Road | SP | 1 pt win |
| Each-way pick | 3:30 Ayr | Dandy Magic | SP | 0.5 pt e/w (3 places, 1/5) |
NAP: Courageous Sioux (5:25 Bath)
MJ Church Fillies' Handicap, 5f 160y, Good, 11 runners
Courageous Sioux has won two of her three starts, including her last two, and the card gives her the highest official rating in the field at 75. That is 3lb clear of the next best on 72, and she is the only runner here still unexposed at three years old with a 100% recent strike rate.
Rossa Ryan takes the ride for Charlie Cox, and a 16-day break since her last run suggests she is being kept sharp rather than rested. The ground is Good, the trip is the same sprint distance range she has been winning over, and the 9-11 she carries is a fair weight for a filly on the upgrade.
Main danger: The rise in the weights after two wins could finally catch up with a lightly raced filly.
Next best: Crimson Road (4:21 Bath)
Find My Hospitality Handicap (Div 1), 1m 2f 37y, Good, 10 runners
Crimson Road arrives in the form of his life, with three wins and a second in his last four starts (1114 in the figures). Seven days since his last run shows he is race fit, and the card credits him with a distance record at around this trip.
He tops the weights on 10-0 and is rated 70, only 2lb above the next in the handicap, so the penalty for winning looks modest compared with his recent improvement. William Carson is on board for John Flint, and the ground is Good.
Main danger: Top weight after a winning run can leave a horse with little in hand if the handicapper has caught up.
Each-way pick: Dandy Magic (3:30 Ayr)
Tennent's Lager Handicap, 6f, Heavy (Soft in places), 11 runners
Dandy Magic has finished in the first four in five of her last six starts (431324) and is rated 77, which puts her in the top handful of an open 11-runner sprint. The card shows a course win and three at the distance from 31 career runs.
Paul Mulrennan rides for Jim Goldie, who has the filly 12 days since her last run. With the field headed by an 87-rated top weight, a mid-weight with her consistency and course experience looks the type to land a place at a bigger price on testing ground.
Main danger: Heavy ground makes this a stamina test and the topweight Eye Of Dubai has the course and distance form.
Thursday's meetings
| Course | Going | Races | First - last |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ayr | Heavy (Soft in places) | 7 | 1:45 - 5:13 |
| Bath | Good | 10 | 1:30 - 5:55 |
| Market Rasen | Good | 6 | 1:56 - 4:48 |
| Southwell | Standard | 9 | 4:25 - 8:30 |
| Thurles | Good to Yielding | 8 | 1:16 - 5:20 |
| Tramore | Yielding (Soft in places) | 7 | 2:10 - 5:35 |
We settle these tips at the starting price (SP). Stakes are in points: 2 on the NAP, 1 on the next best and 0.5 each way on the each-way pick.
FAQs
What is the NAP of the day for Thursday 8 October?
Our NAP is Courageous Sioux in the 17:25 at Bath. She has won two of her three runs and carries the highest official rating in the field at 75. Tips are settled at the starting price.
What is the each-way pick for Thursday 8 October?
Dandy Magic in the 15:30 at Ayr. The race has 11 runners, so each-way terms apply, and she has placed in five of her last six starts.
Which meetings are on today?
Ayr, Bath, Market Rasen and Southwell in Britain, and Thurles and Tramore in Ireland. Ayr is Heavy, Bath Good and Southwell Standard.
18+ only. Tips are our opinion, not a promise: racing is unpredictable and losing runs happen. Stake only what you can afford to lose. Free, confidential help: BeGambleAware or GamCare on 0808 8020 133.