Today's Racing Tips: Mark Milligan's five best bets on a packed Thursday of action

Lingfield, 16:20 - Back Noble Vow @ 4/15.00

1 (3)

Noble Vow (Ire)

• J: Alec Voikhansky
• T: Richard Hannon
• F: 32-531100

• SBK 4/1
• EXC 1.1

It's a busy day of action on Thursday and hopefully we can kick off things in style by backing Noble Vow to win this 5f all-weather handicap.

Richard Hannon's three-year-old had a fine start to the season by winning at Bath in May and he followed that up with another success at Haydock later the same month. His final May run is easy to put a line through after his saddle slipped early on and he was allowed to coast home at Thirsk.

We then didn't see Noble Vow for a couple of months and he returned looking rather rusty when out the back in a hot Glorious Goodwood handicap.

That will have blown the cobwebs off and this race is nowhere near as competitive as that one.

Notable winners from Mark in recent weeks

Item @ 7/1
Algaihabane @ 3/1
Influencer Man @ 11/4
Kokbastau @ 11/4
Quest For Stars @ 5/2
Youdecide @ 15/8
Haffner @ 6/4

Haydock, 16:25 - Back Hoseki @ 1/12.00

3 (6)

Hoseki (Ire)

• J: Tom Marquand
• T: William Haggas
• F: 34-1114

• SBK 1/1
• EXC 2.3

Hoseki was very much on the up when going into her last race at the Shergar Cup as a well-backed favourite, but she wasn't seen to anything like best effect that day and is worth backing to make amends.

The daughter of Saxon Warrior ended up too far back that day (also forced four-wide on the turn) before finishing to good effect in fourth behind Archers Bay and, although she wouldn't have beaten that one, can have her effort marked up.

The William Haggas-trained filly had completed a hat-trick prior to that run and has a pedigree that suggests she may go on improving for a while yet, and she also gets to compete exclusively against her own sex here.

Although she clearly stays further, I don't think Hoseki will have any issues dropping back to 1m 2f, a distance she's already been successful over twice this season.

Salisbury, 17:24 - Back Shipbourne @ 13/27.50

9 (10)

Shipbourne

• J: C. T. Keane
• T: Ralph Beckett
• F: 13-10

• SBK 3/1
• EXC 4.7

Salisbury stages a good card on Thursday, and this 1m handicap is one of the most interesting races of the day.

Recent winner Colourband looks sure to be popular for the Crisford stable as he bids to follow up his Windsor success, where the addition of a tongue tie seemed to have a positive effect.

He's very much respected, as is top weight Boyfriend, who comes into the race off a solid second at Glorious Goodwood, but my preference is for the less-exposed Shipbourne.

This Juddmonte-owned son of Frankel is bred to be better than a handicapper and it could that a gelding operation since he was last seen will be the making of him.

His last run was a dire one, but he'd shown plenty prior to that when winning on his seasonal return at Doncaster and it would be no surprise if he gets right back on track on just his fifth career start.

Newcastle, 17:40 - Back Em Jay Kay @ 4/15.00

1 (4)

Em Jay Kay

• J: Grace McEntee
• T: Phil McEntee
• F: 31890804

• SBK 4/1
• EXC 4.7

Em Jay Kay is one of those who tends to win when in the right sort of grade and he signalled last time that his turn could be near with an eye-catching effort at Windsor.

A previous C&D winner, Phil McEntee's charge won at Lingfield back in January off a mark of 59 before having something of a quiet time from marks in the 60s since then. However, his mark is dropping quickly and he finished fourth last time without being given anything like a hard time of things in 0-65 company.

The selection now drops into what is effectively a 0-50 carrying top weight off a basement mark of 52 and he should be well up to landing this if anywhere near his best.

Salisbury, 17:55 - Back Zgharta @ 9/25.50

2 (7)

Zgharta (Ire)

• J: Oisin Murphy
• T: Andrew Balding
• F: 7540-6047

• SBK 5/1
• EXC 1.1

Another interesting handicap rounds off Salisbury's card and there are sound reasons for thinking Andrew Balding's Zgharta can get back on track following a below-par effort at Glorious Goodwood last time.

Prior to that poor run, the selection had shaped really well when stepping back up to 1m 2f at Chester, meeting plenty of trouble before sticking on well to finish fourth. Just ahead of her that day was Infraad, who has gone in twice at big festivals since, his latest success coming in the Melrose at York, giving the form a very solid look.

I'm not too sure what went wrong last time when Zgharta finished last of seven, but years of experience in the game has taught me that it's often wise to forgive a horse one poor run in isolation.

That's what I'm prepared to do here and Zgharta is much better judged on that eye-catching Chester run the time before.

Now read more horse racing columns here