Competitive seven-race Clonmel card arrives on Thursday as jumps season continues full pace

A seven-race card will greet punters to Clonmel on Thursday for the latest jumps meeting of the 2023/24 season at the Tipperary track.

Racing gets underway at 12.02pm with a 15-runner maiden hurdle before rounding off at 2.32pm with a ten-runner beginners’ chase, with all races being shown live on Racing TV.

The opening race on the card is a big field maiden hurdle but lacking in a bit of depth. Charity Barnum was disappointing 21 days ago at Punchestown but is taken to get off the mark having shown previous promise over hurdles. Trainer Henry de Bromhead sends Whotookthebiscuit to Clonmel, who should run Charity Barnum close.

Race two of the afternoon (12.37pm) is a handicap hurdle for horses rated between 80 and 102 and recent Kilbeggan winner Stellar Symphony holds strong claims in the 19-runner field. Natural Breeze is arguably the biggest threat here, having finished first and second at this track previously and was a handy fourth in a handicap hurdle last month at Limerick.

The third race on the card arrives at 1.12pm and powerhouse trainer Willie Mullins has a runner here in Chapeau Du Soleil, last seen when finishing in midfield of the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival earlier this year, who is backed to get off the mark on debut over obstacles.

Race four (1.47pm) is a small field, four-runner hurdle over the three mile trip around Clonmel. Cash Back, who has already proved a smart chaser for Mullins, holds the clear edge here on form having finished second last time out in a hurdle event at Thurles. Gordon Elliott sends Absolute Notions, an easy winner at Fairyhouse a month ago, to take on Cash Back.

The fifth race (2.22pm) is a 19-runner handicap hurdle for horses rated between 80 and 95. Bite That had a solid return at Tramore earlier this season before stumbling at Limerick last time out so that can be accounted for and is taken to improve at Clonmel.

The penultimate race of the afternoon arrives at 2.57pm and is a novice handicap chase, where the Philip Rothwell-trained Captains Nephew makes his debut over fences having been a wide-margin winner at Clonmel over hurdles earlier this year. Chose Debut made a winning start over fences at Naas last month and will provide the main competition.

Finally, the card is rounded off with a beginners chase, where Henn See can go one better having finished a fine second to a progressive sort when last seen at Wexford. Ask Anything has shown big improvement over hurdles and goes over fences for the first time here and will be in the frame for the win.

Clonmel selections - Thursday (via Betway)

12.02 - Whotookthebiscuit

12.37 - Stellar Symphony

1.12 - Chapeau Du Soleil

1.47 - Cash Back

2.22 - Bite That

2.57 - Captains Nephew

3.32 - Ask Anything