Horse Racing Tips: Heathen looks a smart stayer for Saturday multiple

• Heathen well backed for Thirsk

• Cracksman debutant appeals

• Two selections pay out 17/1 in double

Heathen an exciting prospect for Dunlop

Back Heathen @ 5/1 in the 14:35 at Thirsk

A small consolation with the place yesterday on Mistral Star, but nothing would have got near Gather Ye Rosebuds - a most taking display at Newbury.

We're off to Thirsk for leg one, and a horse that really impressed me on the All-Weather over the winter in the shape of Heathen.

He landed handicaps at Newcastle and Wolverhampton over 1m4f, and the latter saw him canter to victory in the manner of a potentially useful middle-distance/stayer.

The Ed Dunlop-trained 4yo pounced and travelled well off a slow pace to pull away easily, and he fully deserves his rise of 8lb to 82, and since the hood has been applied, he has won both starts.

Pedigree-wise, he is right up there, and his dam is a full sister to the great Nathaniel. He looks the type to be even better off a good pace and I can see him making an impact in some decent 1m6f races too.

Dunlop has started off relatively quiet, but his last eight horses have included a winner and three seconds.

Catch a Haggas newcomer right at Newbury

Back To Catch A Thief @ 2/1 in the 15:50 at Newbury

The classic experience versus newcomer conundrum for the 15:50 1m Maiden, and it's easy to understand why Richard Hannon's Greatest Time tops the betting, but there's a son of Cracksman lurking in behind with To Catch A Thief, and the 3yo starts out his career in a good-looking race.

He is cleverley named too, as Mr Oppenheimer is famous for his diamonds, and Raffles used to like pinching them.

His trainer William Haggas won this race with My Prospero last season and also hit the mark with Call To Mind in 2017.

There are a pair of 1m4f winners in his pedigree, including Frankly Darling. There's also stamina with a 1m6f scorer in the family, but Cracksman has taken breeders and buyers by surprise with the amount of pace he sires into his runners.

Haggas and Tom Marquand have a fine record when they team up together at Newbury with a 29% win record and 49% placed.

Both selections were backed this morning too with Heathen cut into 5/1 and To Catch A Thief into 2s.