Thursday Racing Tips: Best is still to come from Never Better say Timeform

• Ardennes faces more suitable test at Yarmouth

• Never Better can take a step forward

• Light Amenda can make amends for unlucky run

• Money Back as a free bet if your horse loses on the Betfair Exchange in the 16:20 Chelmsford

Ardennes can make the most of return to nursery

Ardennes faced a stiff task in the very competitive Roses Stakes at York last time and finished down the field in that listed contest having shown up prominently for a long way. Nurseries are more his level, though, and that makes him interesting in Yarmouth's six-furlong contest (15:50) where Tom Marquand will be back on board the Ed Walker-trained gelding.

Marquand partnered Ardennes to success in a novice at Salisbury on his second start in June when he showed a good attitude to make all the running, responding well to see off the challenge of favourite Cayman Tai. The partnership was reunited two starts later when Ardennes was a creditable fourth in a highly competitive nursery at Goodwood. Setting out to make all again, Ardennes possibly overdid things in front but went like a horse ahead of his mark for a long way.

The form received a boost when the fifth, Yes I'm Mali, turned the tables on the Goodwood winner Artagnan when they met again in a similar event at York later in the month. Dropped 1 lb in the weights since Goodwood, Ardennes heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings by 2 lb and needs respecting back in this grade.

Better to come from Never Better

As an unexposed three-year-old, Never Better has an interesting profile for handicaps this autumn and he looks capable of making the long journey from Newmarket to Ayr pay off in the mile contest (16:48) on the opening day of their biggest Flat meeting of the year.

Representing the in-form Roger Varian, Never Better shaped well when making his handicap debut at Newbury last month which was also his first start on turf. Despite conceding both fitness and experience to the pair who beat him, Never Better was beaten less than a length into third behind Devoirs Choice and Hale End after holding every chance in the final furlong. He's entitled to take a step forward from that run as it was his first start for more than four months, having been gelded in the meantime.

Never Better's first three starts had all come on the all-weather early in the year, winning a novice at Kempton on the second of them. He possesses plenty of physical scope to improve further and boasts a fine pedigree too, from the same Coolmore family as Derby winner Auguste Rodin. He tops the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings by 1 lb, with the 'p' symbol indicating he's expected to progress again.

Eyecatcher Light Speed can win again

Light Speed shaped much better than the bare result at Beverley last time and can return to winning ways in Pontefract's mile handicap (17:15). He ran creditably nevertheless to finish fourth behind Zapphire last time but gave the impression he would have gone closer still with a clear run, having no room for much of the last couple of furlongs until finally getting a gap too late in the last 100 yards.

Formerly trained by Andrew Balding, for whom he ran up a hat-trick on the all-weather late last year, Light Speed was having only his fourth start for Gemma Tutty since changing stables earlier in the year. He showed that he retains all his ability when successful at Chester in July. Taking advantage of some generous handicapping, Light Speed did well to win decisively once getting a gap after several were still closely grouped a furlong out.

Running off the same mark as at Beverley, Light Speed remains of strong interest and heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings by 2 lb.

Now read more Horse Racing tips and previews here