The Punt Acca: Charlie Huggins' three horse racing tips on Thursday
Three horses to include in a multiple on Thursday . . .
Champ De Gane (3.18 Perth)
Outpaced over 2m1½f at Cartmel last time but did plug on to finish third and the form of that race has been boosted since. The winner, Al Zaraqaan, followed up in a significantly better race in terms of grade and depth of opposition at Uttoxeter off a 2lb higher mark. Cartmel is one of the sharpest tracks in the country and Champ De Gane should benefit from the step up to 2m4f. The Stuart Crawford-trained six-year-old had some okay bumper and hurdles form behind American Mike and Topham winner Bill Baxter respectively, but it is his run behind the now 141-rated Douglas Talking at Ayr in February that particularly catches the eye. Champ De Gane had no chance on that occasion when finding only Lucinda Russell's improver ahead of him, with Douglas Talking going on to win at Sandown before posting runner-up efforts at major spring meetings at Aintree and Punchestown. Champ De Gane, who received just 2lb on that occasion, could go close if not bumping into a similarly progressive rival here.
Bobby Socks (4.50 Perth)
Did not make an immediate impact when reverting to handicaps after looking potentially well treated off an opening mark of 102. Bobby Socks was sixth at Uttoxeter before slightly bettering that effort when fourth at Southwell last month. Both of those runs came over 2m and the step up in trip to 2m4½f at Southwell again last Monday worked wonders as the six-year-old got off the mark over hurdles at the seventh attempt. That breakthrough success came in a conditional riders' event, so he is able to compete off the same mark of 101 and is technically 8lb well in as he takes on just three rivals. He should follow up over a similar intermediate trip of 2m4f, that clearly suited at Southwell last time.
Sharjah (6.15 Tipperary)
The Willie Mullins-trained veteran has still demonstrated an incredibly high level of form as a ten-year-old, most notably when second to Champion Hurdle hero Constitution Hill in top-level company at Aintree on his penultimate start. Sharjah, second in two Champion Hurdles at his peak, ran another massive race at the Cheltenham Festival in March when giving weight all round in the County Hurdle. Sharjah was beaten by three lengths in fourth in that 24-runner handicap and filled the same position in a Grade 1 at Punchestown last time. There was no shame in being beaten by stablemates State Man, who was recording his fourth Grade 1 win of the season, and Vauban, who was an emphatic winner at Royal Ascot on his next start. The drop down in class to a Grade 3 should suit Sharjah, who gets weight from three of his rivals here and should be hard to beat if replicating anything like his best form.
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