Thursday Horse Racing Tips: James Mackie stands in for Daryl Carter with a trio of selections

• James Mackie fills in for Daryl Carter with three selections on Thursday

• Brides Hill the best bet of the day at Huntingdon

• Califet En Vol and Pour Les Filles interesting runners

• Our Cheltenham offer is live! Get a completely free bet every weekend until the Festival

13:45 Huntingdon - Back Califet En Vol @ 7/52.40

This Nicky Henderson runner has done very little wrong since being sent over hurdles this season. Making his debut at Kempton in November he went on to bolt up by 15 lengths staying out the 2m5f trip very well and showing a lot class to win in a canter.

Giving a sterner test when next seen at Newbury in softer conditions than his debut, he bumped into the Grade 1 Challow Novices' hurdle winner The New Lion.

He ran a valiant race to chase home the talented Skelton gelding, staying on again at the finish to go down by only three lengths.

Califet En Vol stays well at the trip, has the best form in the book behind The New Lion and we are getting a fair price for him to get back to winning ways at 7/52.40.

The favourite Jax Junior is chasing a hat-trick of wins since having a wind operation and on ratings is the horse to beat, but I feel Henderson's runner could be a classier horse and can prove it on Thursday.

14:20 Huntingdon - Back Brides Hill @ 4/51.80

My best bet of the day comes in this Listed Mares Chase with Gavin Cromwell bringing over Brides Hill in what looks a weak affair.

She is a highly talented animal that didn't prove it last time when not running her true race in a similar event at Doncaster.

Off the back of that we are getting a better price about her here today at just a shade of odds on, as she has a far better book of form than all the rest of the horses in the field.

I am forgiving her that run and believe she will turn the form with Le Renommee, who she beat in this race by six lengths last year.

Gavin Cromwell could not be heading into the race with any better form having landed winners across the weekend at the DRF and is running at a 21% strike rate for the last two weeks having picked up another winner on Wednesday.

Brides Hill would be chasing a six-timer if not for that poor run last time out and with the talented Keith Donoghue travelling over for the ride, it looks all systems go for her to get back on track.

She should be a class above this field and is 13lb clear on ratings to her nearest runner who is the outsider of the field Hautiuriere.

15:10 Thurles - Back Pour Les Filles @ 13/82.63

Trainer Gordon Elliott is not in the best of form but a horse that can get him back on track on Thursday is Pour Les Filles, who looks to have been presented a brilliant opportunity to get off the mark over hurdles.

She proved herself as a talented individual when landing her debut under rules back in 2022 on Boxing Day in a competitive bumper at Leopardstown.

Fifth in the Grade 2 Mares Bumper after that, she never kicked on over hurdles in her two runs last year when failing to get off the mark on both her starts at Punchestown and Tipperary.

Dropped in trip for her seasonal debut this season she was very unlucky when going down a neck to Putapoundinthejar, getting chinned late on.

That run should have put her bang on for this and in what looks a weaker race than her debut she has every opportunity to take advantage.

The step back up in trip is also a positive and today could be her day to show her true ability.

Now read more Horse Racing tips and previews here