Horse Racing Tips: Katie Midwinter's best bets on Thursday including 20/1 Clonmel pick

• Katie Midwinter has four fancies on Thursday

• Course-and-distance winner Riot is bet of the day back at Chelmsford

• Nathaniel filly can strike from current mark in Newcastle handicap

Chelmsford, 16:20 - Back Riot E/W @ 10/111.00

Course-and-distance winner Riot has amassed plenty of experience around Chelmsford during his career to date, and is bidding for a fourth victory at the track in his 70th racecourse appearance.

Trained by David O'Meara, Riot is now 11lb below his last winning mark when successful at Doncaster last year and should be capable of making the frame at this level from his current low mark if he can bounce back from his latest effort.

The eight-year-old gelding is well treated at the weights, and has been able to pose a threat in much deeper waters during recent seasons. He often needs plenty of luck during a race due to his running tactics, most effective when finishing with a late flourish in the closing stages, but his previous course form should hold him in good stead considering he has proven himself at the track on multiple occasions.

This could be a feasible opportunity for the son of Kingman to return to the winners' enclosure by landing an eighth career success in the hands of Harry Davies.

Clonmel, 16:37 - Back Boyne Valley E/W @ 20/121.00

Michael Mulvany-trained Boyne Valley is one to note in the extended 1m1f handicap at Clonmel, capable of making the frame if on a going day from a mark of 58 under 3lb claiming Wesley Joyce, who knows her well.

Whilst the daughter of Churchill is a 13-race maiden, she has made the frame on a number of occasions, including when denied by half-a-length at odds of 40/141.00 in a Ballinrobe contest over this distance in June, from the same mark. She didn't see out the trip when upped to a mile-and-three-quarters in her latest start, therefore the drop back to the distance over which she has put in her best effort to date should allow her to fare much better.

During her debut campaing as a juvenile, Boyne Valley featured in races won by Joseph O'Brien-trained pair Midnight Strike and Green Triangle, now rated 93 and 95 respectively, before going down the handicap route this term. 

Given an opening rating of 74, from which she was dropped 5lb for her handicap debut, Boyne Valley has been learning with experience and is on a mark from which she can strike, over an adequate trip.

Chelmsford, 17:50 - Back Monks Mead @ 5/16.00

Another course-and-distance winner who makes appeal from a workable mark on the Chelmsford card is Mark Usher-trained grey Monks Mead. The four-year-old has run well at the track on numerous occasions previously, and has been seen to good effect in recent months.

At Brighton in May, Monks Mead was narrowly denied from a 2lb higher mark by Brinton, making late headway and catching the eye in defeat. He then performed with credit over the same course-and-distance in his following start, and has made the frame in both of his previous two runs with third-placed efforts.

Having been threatening in recent months, Monks Mead could prove worth keeping onside and is now 7lb lower than his previous success which came at this venue. 

Newcastle, 18:25 - Back Pique' @ 11/43.75

When last seen, four-year-old filly Pique' performed with plenty of credit when a staying on fourth in the Racing League at Yarmouth, and is 1lb lower here, dropping back in trip.

Last year, the daughter of Nathaniel won once and finished second on four subsequent occasions over a trip around a mile-and-a-half, before making a successful step up in distance at Nottingham, winning convincingly over a mile-and-three-quarters in the hands of Jack Doughty, who returns in the saddle here without his 5lb claim, from a rating of 80.

Now rated 82, Pique' has the scope for further improvement as a stayer, and is on a workable mark from which she can strike. She has run well in both of her latest efforts, having failed to show the best of her ability in her first couple of runs this season, and it could prove worth keeping the faith in the James Fanshawe-trained filly.

Representing an in-form yard, this appears as a good opportunity for Pique' to land a third career success.

Now read Timeform's Thursday racing tips here