Sky Bet Sunday Series tips: race-by-race guide at Thirsk

These previews always seem to start with Letsbefrank, but there’s a good reason for that as he keeps on winning! The inaugural winner of the £100,000 bonus for any horse who could win three races in the series back in 2024, it’s deja-vu as the Jim Goldie-trained gelding bids for three in a row in the Sky Bet Extra Places Handicap at 17:15. 

But has he got enough up his sleeve? He’s now 2 lb higher than his short-head win at Pontefract many moons ago, and I reluctantly think he might prove vulnerable in this better race.  

Brielle, who has run well over C&D, is respected on her reappearance with a tongue-tie applied, while Serenity Blue is hit and miss but would have been of more interest with a better draw, but the vote goes to Cabrera who has ideal conditions and caught the eye in a stop/start race at Newcastle when last seen; her trainer Ed Bethell has a 36% strike-rate with his older horses here, too.  

Bethell’s promising sprinter Fluorescence is selected in the Sky Bet Price Boosts Handicap half an hour later. This is a strong race in which to reappear, but the Twilight Son filly won first time out last term and was an eye-catcher on her final start at Southwell in September. Quick ground and a flat track will suit her ideally. Eternal Sunshine rates a big danger now down to a workable mark back at one of her favourite venues, while another former Portland winner Annaf hasn’t had many chances since returning to handicap company. 

The Sky Bet For The Fans Handicap (6.15) could provide Bethell with another chance of a winner with Minstrel Knight, who has won twice over hurdles since finishing down the field in the Irish Cesarewitch, but his best form has come under much more testing conditions. Gibside is on a good mark, but the nod goes to Mountain Road. He’s been given quiet rides at two of these meetings already, but he has ideal conditions here now up in trip and this might be the day. St Faz, who beat him easily in April, and York fourth Hermetic complete the shortlist. 

As usual, the meeting gets underway at 3.45 with the Enter ITV7 For Free Novice Stakes in which – before market clues - the safest strategy could be to side with Karl Burke who has a 31% (+47.94 level stakes profit) with his two-year-olds at the track. Rosberg is not from a sparkling family so it looks significant that his sales price nearly trebled as a yearling, but he will have to be smart to beat the beautifully bred Alfred Wallace who shaped as if this trip would suit when fifth in a strong Ascot race on debut. Pikachu cost a pretty penny but his close relation Foniska was a slow burner, while High Hazard’s trainer Hugo Palmer had a well-touted debut winner at Hamilton recently, so he needs close consideration. 

It seems like a gelding operation has had the desired effect on Straight Ahead who can complete his hat-trick in the Flutter Proud To Support Young Lives Vs Cancer Handicap (4.15) following a short break. Fellow treble seeker Noble Vow stormed home at Haydock having been detached at halfway and he is a big danger along with Mighty Magnus, who doesn’t look the most straightforward but he was well clear with the winner when second at Ripon last month. Dazzling Haze and Kinnalargy should both improve for their seasonal return, the latter having had a gelding op in the winter, and both make the shortlist as a result. 

The pace looks likely to be similarly strong in the Sky Bet Club Handicap (4.45) which looks one of the toughest races of the night; take a punt on the well-treated C&D specialist Muker getting the gaps. He won well here a year ago and is better judged on his Nottingham reappearance fourth than his run here last time where he was stopped in his tracks a couple of times. Kinetic Force is preferred to Far Above The Law of the recent winners, while it would be no surprise to see better efforts from Mon Na Slieve and Montezuma now they are back on a flat track. This venue should also suit Woohoo who looks the pick of the remainder.  

Finally, the meeting closes with the Sky Bet Build A Bet Fillies' Handicap (6.45). William Haggas has made a point of targeting races in this series and Thaluna looks exactly the type who could go from strength to strength this season; her runner-up effort at HQ when unable to give lots of weight to subsequent winner Velvet Rhythm suggests that this 1 lb higher mark is well within range. The dangers abound, though, notably recent winners Bintaziza, Alessia Fernanda, Thankfully and the Jim Goldie well-treated pair of Krissy and Geo.