Saturday Racing Tips: New Image merits NAP status at Thirsk

• NAP retains plenty of potential

• Godolphin runner to make a winning comeback

• Unexposed sprinter can go in at Doncaster

Ryan Moore Superboost

Betfair Ambassador Ryan Moore rides favourite Chantilly in the 15:00 at Newbury today, and the Betfair Sportsbook have super-boosted his price to finish in the top five from 2/51.40 to 1/12.00.

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16:54 Thirsk - Back New Image @ 3/14.00+ (NAP)

There's some cracking racing on Saturday, notably at Newbury where the Lockinge heads a stellar card, though I'm looking to a couple of the lesser meetings for the day's bets, starting off at Thirsk.

New Image has been progressive since joining the David O'Meara stable from Ger Lyons and I'm giving him NAP status in the 7f class 3 contest at 16:54.

This well-bred son of Frankel showed plenty of promise as a juvenile in a couple of starts in Ireland, notably when finishing second to last season's Jersey Stakes winner Age Of Kings.

He joined his current yard for 45,000 guineas and gave an immediate return on investment when winning a maiden at Southwell in March before finishing third on handicap debut at Wolverhampton on his next start.

The four-year-old got his head back in front returned to Southwell last time, recording a smooth success from a mark of 80.

A 4lb rise for that hardly seems punitive and there's no reason why New Image shouldn't prove equally effective back on turf.

17:30 Thirsk - Back Rayat @ 5/16.00+

There are plenty of runners in this 1m class 5 handicap, and the assessor knows a lot about the majority of the field, the obvious exception being the Saeed bin Suroor-trained Rayat.

This five-year-old has only had the three starts to date and made a winning debut just over a year ago in novice company at Wolverhampton.

He presumably had an issue when beaten out of sight on his next start at Newcastle but put that behind him on turf debut at Newbury in July, finishing fourth to Gallant Lion in what was a hot race for the grade (threw up plenty of subsequent winners).

It clearly hasn't all be plain sailing since then as Rayat now has another absence to overcome, but his trainer is adept at bringing similar types back from this sort of layoff, and he's actually been dropped a pound to a mark of 74.

The son of Starspangledbanner cost £360k as a yearling, so there were clearly expectations that he'd be at least useful, and I'd be surprised if he didn't prove to be much better than this sort of mark in time, likely just needing a clear run at things to start fulfilling his potential.

19:50 Doncaster - Back Mythical Phoenix @ 9/43.25+

This sprint handicap is full of exposed types, the obvious exception being Julie Camacho's Mythical Phoenix, who makes just his sixth start.

Trained by John McConnell in Ireland last season, where he won a Bellewstown maiden, he joined his current yard for 38,000 guineas and made a promising stable debut when finishing runner-up at Thirsk earlier this month.

Leading well inside the final furlong, he was collared only late on by the useful Wobwobwob, shaping as though something similar would be a formality further down the line.

I like that the handicapper has only given him a 2lb rise for that fine effort, and Mythical Phoenix has joined a yard that very much knows the time of day when it comes to sprinters.

There are several dangers, namely Bernardo O'Reilly and Live In The Moment, but we know plenty about these types, while it's entirely likely that the selection hasn't fully shown his hand just yet.

Now Read Ryan Moore on his Saturday Newbury rides here.