Thursday Horse Racing Tips: Timeform's view

• Timeform give three bets for Thursday's racing

• Blufferonthebus ahead of her mark

• Wannabe Brave can win again

• Lady of Time can progress further

Timeform's view on Thursday's racing

Blufferonthebus can follow up

There is a good-quality card at Carlisle on Thursday evening and the standout bet is Bufferonthebus (19:25) for the Craig Lidster team.

She showed just modest form over sprint trips last season, but she has come into her own since moving up in distance this year, suited by the stiff nature of the track when opening her account at Pontefract last month, and producing a big career best when winning at just short of a mile at Carlisle last week.

Blufferonthebus was well suited by a strongly-run race on that occasion, resuming her progress in no uncertain terms and also proving herself just as effective on firmer ground, produced to lead over a furlong out and quickening clear in impressive fashion.

That performance caught the eye of Timeform's reporter, who awarded her the Horse In Focus Flag (highlighting her as a horse to keep on side), while she also earnt the Sectional Flag for her above-average finishing time.

It is no surprise connections have turned her out under a penalty - she is at least 3 lb clear of her rivals on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings - and she shapes as though this longer trip will be within her compass. There is plenty to like about her chance.

Wannabe Brave can complete a hat-trick

There is a mixed card of all-weather and turf racing at Lingfield and the horse who stands out goes in the first race (14:20) on the all-weather track, namely Wannabe Brave, who is bidding to complete a hat-trick.

He was rated higher in the past - won a handicap off a BHA mark of 65 in November 2022 - and he has found his groove again recently, belatedly taking advantage of a reduced mark at Wolverhampton last month, where he was strong in the market and took advantage of a drop in grade.

Wannabe Brave didn't need to do much more in form terms when following up at Chelmsford last week, missing the break but soon in touch and he was just pushed out in the final furlong where he edged a little to his right.

That was an apprentices' handicap, which means he escapes a penalty or a rise in the weights for that success, so he makes plenty of appeal turned out from the same mark with Oisin Murphy taking back over in the saddle. Wannabe Brave comes out top on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings (82) and also has the Hot Trainer Flag, which is used to mark out a trainer which is in top form at present.

Lady of Time open to improvement

This doesn't look the strongest race of its type and the Tim Easterby-trained Lady of Time is expected to improve further to open her account in this handicap over a mile (15:50).

She has a useful pedigree, and there is also plenty to like about her physically, too, but she wasn't at all knocked about in three relatively quick runs last season.

Lady of Time has seemingly been brought along with handicaps in mind, though she wasn't seen to best effect on her return and handicap debut at Redcar earlier this month, slowly into stride and racing in the unfavoured centre of the track (second home in that group).

That run wasn't devoid of promise and the handicapper has since dropped her 2 lb for that effort. Lady of Time still has the Timeform small 'p' attached to her rating, highlighting there is further improvement to come, and she now finds herself in a weak race up against more exposed rivals.

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