Horse Racing Tips: Talented Thunder is ready to rumble at Newbury

Newbury, 14.35 - Lockinge Stakes: Back More Thunder each-way @ 10/111.00

The Lockinge Stakes has brought together an exciting bunch of horses with the likes of More Thunder and Damysus striving to establish themselves as true milers by lifting this prestigious Group 1 event.

Both face stiff opposition trying to register a first top-level success at today's trip with Zeus Olympios expected to step up markedly for his Sandown comeback, while Notable Speech should have won in this company at Keeneland last time when suffering a troubled passage.

Both will have their supporters here, but I wonder if Karl Burke would have picked stall one for Zeus Olympios while Charlie Appleby's horses have looked under a cloud for some time and Notable Speech has a little to prove on these shores with stablemate Opera Ballo a late scratching.

It may pay to think a little outside the box and the presence of a Ballydoyle pacemaker in Mississipi River who lines up to ensure a strong gallop for Lion In Winter could also benefit a habitual slow starter in More Thunder who returns to a trip in excess of seven furlongs for the first time since joining William Haggas.

The Night Of Thunder entire hit the line hard when capturing last season's Hungerford Stakes, indeed his finishing speed percentage was rated the best on both of his UK starts at seven furlongs last term.

Those with long memories will remember how well More Thunder ran from the worst possible draw in the Qatar Prix de la Foret last October, again finishing off strongly to suggest a return to further would be no issue.

He has the opportunity to vindicate that view here and the only negative to his chance is his annoying trait of blowing the start, a failing which cost him the Wokingham Stakes last summer.

Newbury, 15.10 - Back Albert Einstein @ 3/14.00

I was fortunate enough to be at Ballydoyle earlier this week to speak to Aidan O'Brien about his Derby hopes and contenders for next month's blue riband event, but even with an abundance of equine talent on show, one horse stood out looks wise; Albert Einstein.

At the moment, punters have a choice to make  with regard to the selection.

Buy into the hype and his trainer's faith or ignore the platitudes and concentrate on racecourse appearances in making an informed judgement about the son of Wootton Bassett.

In all honesty, until his more encouraging performance in the Greenham Stakes where the first time hood appeared to pacify Albert Einstein too much, I was happy to let him run unbacked in just about any race.

That might indeed be the case again after this Listed event, but O'Brien has left off the hood and returned his highly regarded colt to sprinting and 3/14.00 seems a very fair price for a horse which is being dropped in class and distance.

Thirsk, 16.47 - Back City Of Poets @ SP

City Of Poets returns to the scene of the Thirsk Hunt Cup and connections will be hoping he enjoys a little more fortune in this event than he did that day.

Admittedly, the son of Ghaiyyath wasn't the only contender to encounter trouble in running earlier this month, however James Tate's colt was bumped, carried left and found his passage blocked as the tempo of the race increased so he was clearly better than his finishing position that day.

With a little more fortune he can prove that to be the case under similar conditions today and a slight drop in class and the handicap can see the selection land this before tackling a race like the Royal Hunt Cup next month at Ascot.

Now read Katie Midwinter's York bets