Horse Racing Tips: Weather to play its part in Thursday's 29/1 double

• Fine start to selection's chase career

• Alan King has a 22% strike-rate with bumpers

• It's a 29/1 double at Hereford and Wetherby on Thursday

Pleasing chase debut puts Gentleman in the frame

Back Gentleman De Mai @ 5/1 in the 16:55 at Wetherby

Yesterday's runners finished second and third at BSPs of 13.0 and 6.0, and Revolutionary Man's runner-up spot was somewhat frustrating as he'd gone from 4/1 to 10s - and the intial 4s wasn't an each-way price. But both ran well.

A turnout of 15 awaits for the 16:55 3m Handicap Chase and Gentleman De Mai's latest second at Ayr behind Prince Dundee puts him bang in the frame for this, with the form boosted from that run in Scotland.

It was an excellent start to his chase career behind Lucinda Russell's stayer, and for a first run over fences he acquitted himself well.

But it's the reading of the form behind that's interesting as the third, fourth and fifth have all won since, and even Prince Dundee has scored again at his favoured at Hexham.

Gentleman De Mai looked to have a bright future in 2021 when scoring on his hurdling debut at Ayr, and while he disappointed subsequently in a handful of runs, he should be able to make his mark over fences for trainer Rose Dobbin.

Cheekpieces remain on the chaser, and I am expecting a sharper jumping display as he made one or two errors at Ayr, but ground conditions of good to soft should be ideal.

Showers can play to newcomer's strengths

Back The Doyen Chief @ 4/1 in the 17:15 at Hereford

It's time to revisit a tried and trusted angle, and that's the Doyen one for a bumper, as the sire gets stayers that like soft, and the ease in the ground at Hereford takes me to the second division of the bumper.

Rain is also forecast, and potentially lots of it.

The 6yo won an Irish PTP in December by just over 2L and was subsequently sold for the princely sum of £110,000 at the Cheltenham Sales.

His pedigree appeals plenty as a stayer too, as Cooksgrove Lady is a half-sister to his dam, and Cooksgrove Lady herself is the dam of the top drawer Castlebawn West for Willie Mullins who was rate near 150 and liked a bit of juice in the ground.

Indeed, Castlebawn West won a bumper on his second stayer and very much liked a trip down the line.

The Doyen Chief's dam is by Darsi, whose best runner has been Spiritofthegames, and is related to Polish Precedent - who if I am not mistaken had a strange knee action.

That might be something to explore to see if the memory has served me well.

Alan King has enjoyed a fair record this season with his bumper horses with a 7-32 strike-rate at 32% and nine have placed. King at Hereford in the last five terms is also 7-30 at 24%.

Heavy showers are forecast, and that wouldn't deter me at all from backing the newcomer.