Jake Price's Thursday Horse Racing Tips

POINTOFDIFFERENCE 1pt Win @ 5/2

You always find unique pedigrees in National Hunt Racing, and POINTOFDIFFERENCE is bred to be an Ebor winner, let alone the dual point-to-point scorer that he is. With those facts in combination with his reputation combined, he surely has to have a huge chance in this Bumper on debut for the Rebecca Curtis team.

This Crystal Ocean gelding won his Maiden point-to-point at Bartlemy in May 2025, before then picking up an injury which meant he could not go to the sales. He has since won again easily at Ballyknock in April however, and subsequently he was privately purchased for the same team who owns Haiti Couleurs.

Since joining the yard he has made a real impression on his new connections, and I think it is telling that they have decided to send this 5yo to a Bumper rather than simply just cracking on over Hurdles. That's because he is a half-brother to seven winners on the Flat, and three of which were able to record black-type.

If we drop back a generation then there are a further eight winners too, so clearly he is more than well enough bred to be landing a Flat Race for National Hunt types over two-miles. Sean Bowen is a great jockey booking

BOULTYDOOLIN 1pt Win @ 11/4

I am very excited about the prospects of BOULTYDOOLIN going over fences this season, and he looks like a gorgeous type for Rebecca Curtis to send Chasing for the first time.

This 6yo won his Maiden point-to-point at Quakerstown in November last year, where he beat dual subsequent winner Kildare d’Irlande in game fashion before fetching £95,000 at the Tattersalls Cheltenham November Sale. Having only joined Rebecca in the Autumn he needed plenty of time to settle in, and as such we then didn't see him again until February.

Making his debut under rules in a 2m4½f Novices' Hurdle at Newbury however, I thought he ran an absolute blinder against much more experienced rivals. He looked very green when running around under pressure having been a bit outpaced down towards the second last flight, but the penny started to drop with him after the last as he fairly flew home - being beaten 4 lengths by Swindon Village (132), but also coming well away from Bobby's Nelson (129).

With that experience under his belt he stepped up in distance to 2m7½f at Chepstow a month later, and this time there was no mistake. Ben Jones bounced him out in front and he made all of the running whilst jumping beautifully. He soon went clear of the field and opened up a huge lead at the last, before being eased off in the closing stages to record an effortless 8.5 length success over Lil Fortune (117) and the re-opposing Island Bridge (116). Straight after that rout Rebecca Crutis said that it is all about Chasing with him next season, and he finally gets to show that today.

The rain-softened ground at Ffos Las should provide ideal conditions, and his opening Handicap mark of 127 looks very fair to me considering the promise that he has. Ben Jones retains the ride out of loyalty, and fitness should not be a concern considering Rebecca’s first three runners of the season here in Wales last week finished third, first and third.

WILFUL 1pt Win @ 9/4

I would have to be against Golden Ace in this rescheduled Listed Hurdle purely down to the fact that Jeremy Scott’s horses are all needing the run, and it surely is notable that this Mare needed it on her last two Autumn reappearances. Instead then I thought that WILFUL would take a bit of beating here if proving that fitness is no concern for him.

Jonjo & AJ O'Neill have done a fantastic job with this 7yo, and last season he began a very fruitful campaign when third in that infamous Welsh Champion Hurdle behind Celtic Dino and Alexei, which roadmapped the entire two-mile Handicap Hurdle division in Britain that followed. WILFUL himself went on to win the Premier Handicap Hurdle at Ascot pre-Christmas, before he then landed his biggest scalp in the County Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March. That victory off a mark of 144 set him out as a serious improver, but his third in the Grade 1 Punchestown Champion Hurdle told connections that he can mix it in Graded Hurdles this season.

The main aim for him will be the new Grade 2 Molyneux Hurdle at Aintree next month so there is an element of ‘preparation’ about this Listed event, but I still think he has plenty in his favour. Firstly he only has to give 5lbs rather than the usual 7lbs to a potentially undercooked Golden Ace, he receives weight from Rubaud who will surely puke at the sight of the Carlisle hill, and finally this 2m1f trip which saw him finish so strongly at Cheltenham should be right up his ally. Whilst connections will surely leave something to work on, I really think he has the talent to still be winning a race like this, and the O’Neill team love to have winners at Carlisle