Horse Racing Tips: Back Sheppard to continue his golden spell in 6/1 Thursday double

• Stamina looks a plus for Kelce who goes at Rasen

• Trainer golden spell at 36% to continue at Leicester

• Alan Dudman picks his latest Sportsbook double @ 6/17.00 for Thursday

Market Rasen - 14:15: Back Kelce @ 5/42.25

Kelce's run at Hexham last time over 3m puts him in with a great shout for the 14:15 here as that was his first attempt at 3m and he proved emphatically he stayed there when finishing second.

He was outstayed, just, by Return Fire for Lucinda Russell, from a mark of 99 but there was a yawning 18L gap to third and a rise of 4lb keeps him inside the 0-105 grade here.

The 6yo takes on a few old-timers in the race and with just two runs over fences he's not only unexposed but has proved a totally different proposition over the larger obstacles compared to some rather poor hurdling efforts.

Soft ground is a slight question mark as his two seconds (the other at Uttoxeter over 2m4f) have been both on good ground, but it's so early in his career that he hasn't had the chance to prove himself and Rasen will be a lot sharper than Hexham last time.

Leicester - 14:25: Back Johnny Mac @ 2/13.00

An interesting market for the 14:25 at Leicester as Samazul, who stopped rapidly at Fontwell last time when looking like a winner and hit 1.51/2 in-running has taken a huge walk in the betting. He's gone out from 7/42.75 to 7/24.50.

Johnny Mac has gone the other way this morning into 2/13.00 and that support in the betting comes despite three poor runs this season. However, his trainer Matt Sheppard is enjoying a real golden spell with five winners from 14 winners since the 5th of November at a very impressive strike-rate of 36%.

The clincher here for Sheppard's nine-year-old is the ground and a return to Leicester as he landed back-to-back C&D wins last winter in soft and heavy conditions.

Both of those wins were from lowly marks of 79 and 89 and he's 3lb lower off 86 today for a return to form and some sort of spark.

He might not be totally straightforward in terms of his jumping as he can be a bit sloppy and he also swerved at the start at Hereford last winter, but he's on a very good mark and ground conditions will be very much in his favour.

Now read more tips and previews for Thursday's racing here!