Horse Racing Tips: Katie Midwinter's best bets for Thursday include 18/1 Racing League tip

• National Lady represents value on current mark

• Valentine Catcher ready to follow up at Carlisle

• Passing Phase is the each-way play at Navan

• Likeable grey Zip can make the frame

• Course form key for Enola Grey at Southwell

15:00 Navan - Back National Lady E/W @ 15/28.50

Magna Grecia filly National Lady fetched €130,000 as a yearling and made a promising start when third to a subsequent Group Three winner in Brilliant on debut at Leopardstown, when sent off at odds of 22/123.00. The second that day, Sakti, went on to place in both a Group Two and Group Three, as well as Listed Killarney contest, and is now rated 101, whilst fourth-placed Asian Daze is rated 104 after a recent Newmarket victory.

Out of Grade Three winning mare Cheetah, who also landed a Listed Kempton prize during her racing career, National Lady went on to finish third to the talented Kitty Rose in her following appearance, finishing ahead of subsequent Group Three winner Prime Art.

Her juvenile form suggested there would be plenty more to come from her as a three-year-old, considering there was significant substance to the form, and she was able to finish second on her reappearance at Cork before landing her maiden at the fourth time of asking in a Fairyhouse 6f contest. She was victorious in a handicap when sporting a first-time hood at Naas in June, but has disappointed in two efforts since. She has dropped down to a mark of 83, 2lbs higher than her last winning run, putting her in with a chance of bouncing back to form at the weights.

Ger Lyons' horses have been running well in recent weeks, with the yard saddling plenty of winners and with many of their beaten runners losing little in defeat, which bodes well for the chances of National Lady who will look to return to her form of old.

She's impossible to ignore from her current mark and makes appeal at the prices.

15:18 Carlisle - Back Valentine Catcher @ 11/43.75

Valentine Catcher returned a big-priced winner when obliging at odds of 14/115.00 on his reappearance at Nottingham recently. He just prevailed ahead of Midnight Affair, seventh at the Ebor Festival since, when expected to improve for the run. Given only a 2lb rise to a mark of 83, he is handicapped to win again, and can follow up with the easier conditions in his favour.

He had previously won on debut at Redcar on soft ground when sent off at 14/115.00, beating the even-money favourite Eye Of Dubai, who reopposes. The son of Bated Breath then finished fourth ahead of now 85-rated Great Chieftain in a Newmarket novice event, before dropping back to 6f when beaten a length by promising filly Heartwarmer at Newcastle.

Having shown snippets of good form as a juvenile, he was gelded before making his return after nine months off the track. The ground was likely quicker than ideal on his reappearance and, given he should take a step forward from it, he is worth sticking with for Tim Easterby, with Duran Fentiman in the saddle once again.

15:30 Navan - Back Passing Phase E/W @ 8/19.00

The Lope De Vega colt, Passing Phase, has shown in three starts to date that he enjoys slightly easier conditions and, having been withdrawn on good to firm ground at Tipperary last month, the slower ground should be in his favour at Navan.

On debut at the Curragh, he finished third to a subsequent Group Three third in Midnight Strike, with Treasure Isle in second, showing some promise despite not dealing with the occasion well before the off. He couldn't feature in the finish at Chester, but bounced back to place second in a Tipperary maiden, half-a-length behind Sir Yoshi who placed third in a Listed race at York on Saturday.

Rudi's Apple was two-and-a-quarter-lengths behind in third that day, a No Nay Never colt who went on to finish sixth in the Windsor Castle Stakes before chasing home subsequent Richmond Stakes winner Black Forza at Fairyhouse. He has since recorded a first career success by beating Snapdragon by three-and-three-quarter-lengths in a Curragh handicap, giving the runner-up 7lbs.

There's plenty of substance to his form and he holds strong each-way claims in this field, with his stablemate Saratoga Special likely to pose the biggest threat. The exciting Mehmas filly has shaped with plenty of promise in two starts to date, including when second in Listed company when last seen. She's difficult to oppose but, if the ground is softer than anticipated it may not suit, and her fellow Jessica Harrington-trained rival represents more value at the prices.

At odds of 8/19.00, Passing Phase is the each-way value in the hands of 3lb claimer Scott McCullagh.

18:14 Southwell - Back Zip E/W @ 18/119.00

Experienced Zip often goes well on a tapeta surface, and is a previous course-and-distance winner who holds strong each-way claims a generous price.

The gallant grey is 3lbs lower than when last victorious at Doncaster last year, when a 6/17.00 winner in a higher class race. He has performed well in defeat on many occasions since, including when second at Haydock when 10/111.00 as well as at Newcastle at 12/113.00. He's no stranger to making the frame at big prices, and he's a tough type who likes to go forward and can be difficult to pass.

With plenty of experience over the trip in races such as this, the gelding can show his gutsy determination again to be competitive in this field. Trained by Richard Fahey, the eight-year-old is on a handy mark of 84 from which he can make the frame, given he has been performing well from a higher rating this season. He finished fifth to English Oak, now rated 108, in a Haydock handicap in May when in receipt of 3lbs, with 93-rated Sterling Knight behind in sixth.

Oisin Orr returns in the saddle, having ridden Zip to victory at the track in the past, and the pair can go close once again.

At a price of 18/119.00, Zip is a solid each-way candidate, with four places on offer.

19:41 Southwell - Back Enola Grey E/W @ 18/119.00

Likeable Havana Grey filly Enola Grey is a contender of note in this field considering her proven course form and all-weather strike-rate. With form figures of 2221 at the track, the return to familiar surroundings should allow her to improve on her recent Turf efforts. She's an all-weather specialist, having finished among the first three in thirteen of her twenty starts on the surface, including four victories.

Although she is on a stiff enough mark from 82, she seems to improve plenty when running on the tapeta, and can fare better than in recent outings. On a 3lb higher mark than when recording her most recent victory here in March, the course-and-distance winner had 7lb claimer Ethan Jones aboard that day but won comfortably, shaping as though a rise in the weights wouldn't deter her progress.

She was then upped in class to Listed level, when slowly away at Kempton having been sent off at odds of 28/129.00. She failed to feature that day, but a third when 40/141.00 at Beverley on her penultimate start suggested she still has plenty left to give from a similar mark.

Trained by Gemma Tutty, the four-year-old course-and-distance winner possesses the ability to outrun her odds of 18/119.00, and holds strong each-way claims at an enticing price. Joanna Mason has a 44 percent strike-rate aboard the yard's runners this term, as well as a decent record at the track having ridden nine winners there this month, with a further sixteen finishing among the first three.

With plenty in her favour here, Enola Grey could pose a threat for Team Yorkshire.

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