Thursday's racing schedule is packed, with events from Hereford and Ripon broadcast live on Sky Sports Racing. The highly anticipated Armstrong Memorial Handicap at Ripon's 2026 season opener features top contenders Sixtygeesbaby and American Style. Sixtygeesbaby, now with the David O'Meara team, is set for his second start after a decent performance at Doncaster last month and is expected to show improvement. American Style, despite struggling to secure a win, has the potential to excel if circumstances favor him, particularly as he returns to the site of his last victory.
Modern Times, having been off the scene since June, poses an interesting challenge, receiving a significant weight advantage over the top two contenders. The untested Storm Esme aims to overcome a 4lbs rise in the Ripon Silver Bowl Handicap, following a promising juvenile season with two wins from three starts. Cotai Belle, who previously outperformed Storm Esme, will need to regain her early-season form to succeed.
Wyle Cop, fit from All-Weather starts, could perform well back on turf. Meanwhile, at Hereford, Sherborne seeks to achieve a hat-trick in the Keltruck Ltd Handicap Chase, stepping up in class after dominant wins at Exeter and Ascot. Insurrection, dropping in class and trip, may find this more suitable, while Black Hawk Eagle, despite a 3lbs rise, cannot be overlooked due to his light weight.