Dave Nevison: best bets for Thursday over Jumps and on the Flat

Testflight has not improved after what seemed a decent chase effort at Wincanton this time last season and reverts to hurdles here. 

Susan Gardner’s seven-year-old is 5lb out of the handicap, even in this very modest grade, but has occasionally shown form better than this mark. Moreover, he has often raced over marathon trips that have seemed to stretch this keen sort. 

He probably ran his best race over hurdles at this track in a handicap over 3¼ miles and he may well appreciate this mile shorter trip. He should be a big price and I’m happy to risk him each-way. 

Putting up this nine-year-old is risky as he has shown nothing for a while but in the hope his enthusiasm has been rekindled during his break, I am going to give him another chance. 

His mark has been in freefall for a couple of seasons and his performances haven’t improved but if he is ever going to stage a revival the likelihood is it will come at Stratford, where he has won three chases, including over this distance. 

This is the first time he has returned to Stratford since his latest success and trainer Toby Lawes has changed the headgear, replacing cheekpieces with a visor. 

Kap Auteuil has won after a nine-month break, so I am confident it won’t be lack of fitness that holds him back. 

Ian Williams five-year-old came back from a short break and ran on very enthusiastically from the back of the field to win at Wolverhampton last time out and may well be able to follow up off just a 4lb higher mark. 

Although he ran several good races on turf during the summer, Tribal Wisdom may well be a better performer on the all-weather, where he has now scored three times. 

He could well still have improvement in him and looks one be one to be with this winter judged on the style of his latest win.