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There's another six-pack of racing action in Britain and Ireland on Thursday with the major festivals at Glorious Goodwood and the Galway Races once again enjoying top billing.

They run side by side through the afternoon on Thursday and are joined by UK Flat meetings from Nottingham in the afternoon before Epsom and Newcastle later, while the National Hunt fare is from Stratford in the afternoon.

We have a trio of fancies across Thursday's action, including one for Simon & Ed Crisford in the Gordon Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.

Thursday selections:

CHESSPIECE  (15:00, Goodwood) 

ZARAK THE BRAVE (17:05, Galway)

NAASMA   (18:55, Epsom)

Crisford's colt can checkmate Gordon Stakes rivals 

There's plenty more quality action from Glorious Goodwood on day three of the meeting and the Group 3 John Pearce Racing Gordon Stakes over a mile-and-a-half is right among it.

Espionage is the market-leader for Aidan O'Brien after he won a Listed race at Roscommon on his seasonal bow last month. The Galileo colt had to battle there but Ryan Moore – on his first visit to that outpost on Ireland's western seaboard – was confident and they prevailed.

They have leading claims once more and, as with Desert Hero for William Haggas and Artistic Star for Ralph Beckett, are open to more progress but that also applies to CHESSPIECE   for the Crisford team.

The Nathaniel colt won a York handicap off a mark of 96 in May and, on his most recent start, won the Listed Glasgow Stakes at Hamilton over this sort of trip. In between times, he wilted very late in the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot over 1m6f when third behind Gregory.

James Doyle rides now back at this optimal distance and the manner in which he handled the undulations at Hamilton last time surely bodes well for his first experience of Goodwood. 

Brave call to oppose Mullins at Galway

Willie Mullins didn't always place a lot of stock in the Galway Races and the Ballybrit jamboree was not always high on his agenda, but that has changed in recent years.

Ireland's champion trainer is a regular at Galway now, as evidenced by his wins in the Galway Hurdle with Clondaw Warrior (2016), Sharjah (2018), Aramon (2020) and Saldier (2021) – enough to make him the record-holder with five wins overall.

ZARAK THE BRAVE   is among a four-strong contingent from Closutton in Thursday's feature race and, with the top prize of €162,000, it is little wonder that Mullins has been drawn into the west.

This French-bred gelding made an impressive debut in the colours of Simon Munir & Isaac Souede when scoring at Fairyhouse (2m, soft) in November.

He's still just four and has gleaned experience since in Graded novice events behind Lossiemouth and Gala Marceau – finding the frame at Punchestown and Auteuil this spring in Grade 1s.

He switches to handicapping now and, while this is fiercely competitive, an opening mark of 145 could be underestimating him as his yard looks to make it five wins in eight years.

Naasma to get Epsom breakthrough

Recent Leicester winner Sweet Fantasy will be popular under her penalty in this Epsom handicap over a mile-and-a-half but Ralph Beckett's daughter of Wootton Bassett has more on her plate and is far from certain to be allowed such an easy lead this time.

Another of the trio of four-year-olds in this line-up is NAASMA   and the Churchill filly makes appeal sporting a first-time visor. 

She was a close third over 7f here last season and improved to win at Lingfield over 1m2f on the Polytrack in June. 

On her most recent start she tackled 1m4f for the first time at this venue a fortnight ago when she was second behind Night Eagle. She could have more to give after only five turf starts and the presence of Sweet Fantasy leaves her carrying just 8st 13lb in a first-time visor now.