Joe's Thursday Tips - 7 August 2025

Hove open racing dominates the Thursday action

***8.41 Hove - Eternal Spirit (3pts) 11/10
**8.24 Hove - Ballymac Kinga (2pts) 2/1

Six open races at Hove this evening with three heats of a 500m standard competition, a maiden stayers race and two heats of a maiden standard competition.

The Coral 500 Standard Trophy Heat One is first up at 7.49pm where trap three Hopes Kitty takes all the beating. She is not ideally drawn in three but if coming away level should be able to clear Done Me Dosh and Swords Hero on her inside and hold Kelvins Hat in four to lead who looks the main danger to Hopes Kitty. She is a strong runner over this trip in the context of this race, so if getting first run she should not be for catching.

Heat Two at 8.07pm is a warm race with track specialist Missile One lining up in trap three against So Cool, Juvenile Classic finalist Bowmers Wildcat, Moving Force and Zenith Eze who both ran behind King Memphis last weekend when second and third. If Missile One can come away similar to how he did from trap four last weekend he takes all the beating. He stays this trip well when getting off the front, so as long as he comes away running, he can be in front at the first bend and go onto win an ultra competitive affair.

The third heat at 8.24pm should go the way of trap six Ballymac Kinga. This is the weakest of the three heats on paper and when she does it right over this C&D she is difficult to beat. A vacant box on her immediate inside should give her the room she needs to swoop the first two bends being in front heading down the far side and if leading she would not be for catching.

At 8.41pm we have the Coral Thursday Night 695 Maiden Stayers where trap two Eternal Spirit can step back down in trip and go onto score. She led before being beaten over ten lengths by Salacres Belleza in a 955m marathon on Saturday evening, so as long as she has come out of that race ok, this is an ideal opportunity for her to break her maiden tag in the UK by dominating from start to finish in a more than winnable race for her.

The first heat of the Coral 500 Maiden Trophy at 8.59pm has thrown up a competitive race where I just fancy trap three Raebella Bullet to lead and make all. She is 17 weeks out of season and was beaten on her first start last weekend when well fancied. However, she did not trap as well as she can so if leading this evening she should be getting stronger with each run and would not be for catching.

Heat two of the Coral 500 Maiden at 9.16 is the sixth and final open of the evening. Trap four Head For Home is likely to go off a short priced favourite but I am going to be with trap one Pawsome Bullet who is yet to win from two UK starts but is well drawn here to lead at the bend if coming away. Head For Home has been costly to follow in four starts so I am with Pawsome Bullet to take advantage of the inside draw to lead and make all.