4:03 Thirsk Tips

Carnival Zain, ridden by P J McDonald, returns to a workable mark and boasts a strong course-and-distance record. Proven over 1m and on various goings, he’s primed to bounce back at a favoured venue.

Twilight Diamond is a 4yo gelding trained by David O'Meara. He is still lightly raced with just 6 starts and could offer more in this company. Generally campaigned on the AW, he remains unexposed on turf. He found support in the market on his last start but finished 5/10, beaten a comfortable 3.25 lengths but took a keen hold. Dropped a further 2lb today to 69, he represents a yard who do great guns with 4yo in handicaps with 304 wins since 2012 and has picked up 19 winners in handicaps at Thirsk with 4yo all-age handicaps. He shows a healthy profit of £37.45, and when Daniel Tudhope rides, he's had 15.51 wins since 2012. Twilight Diamond is my short-priced banker of the day.

Only 1-21 and yet to win a handicap or on turf, but posted some solid early season efforts off this mark before below par in Class 4 at York last time. Not one for maximum faith given his record, but worth another chance this afternoon on this drop back into Class 5.

The 6-year-old was back on turf for her last two races, blowing the start during May but was much better four weeks ago in an 11-runner handicap, beaten 2 lengths. She sat last but finished fast in the final furlong. Something to build on and is on a handy mark going off past form.

This horse has come back to form. In the last two runs, he has placed, and with a great draw for a front runner and off a mark of 51, he looks to have a very good chance. Plus, he has won around here off a mark of 59 and 60.

The market leaders make limited appeal, so Mereside Madness is given a chance. He ran in a better race than this last time, in which half a dozen made the frame next time out. A drop in grade from class 4 to 5 should make him competitive in this event.

Backing Electric Avenue, the 5-year-old Outstrip mare trained by Ivan Furtado, in tomorrow’s 7f Class 5 handicap at Thirsk. She arrives in sharp nick after landing a confidence-boosting win at Redcar on 27 May, tracking into the race before taking control inside the final furlong??'showing she handles a strong gallop and stays the trip well. In between, she ran 6th at Thirsk on 17 May, closing from the rear in a modest field and proving she stays on the rising track. Rated around 64, she looks nicely handicapped off her current mark. That Redcar triumph demonstrates she's race-fit, progressive off a break, and ticks the boxes for this Thirsk assignment. Expect her to break cleanly, settle midfield behind a solid early pace, and produce a strong late surge up the straight.

At the bottom third of the handicap mark in this field, but is a C&D winner and only 1lb higher than the last winning mark. Five months of inactivity could be an issue, but if he can overcome this, then I do fancy his chances.