Steve Ryder's Thursday Racing Tips

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Course and distance specialist Detective is a short-priced favourite for this race but looks vulnerable off this mark as shown by his two previous defeats. Preference instead goes to the Kevin Ryan trained STAR SHAKEERA (best priced at 13-2) who put in a career best performance last time when upped in trip. The daughter of Mayson finished 2nd over 1m2f at Doncaster on her previous start when beaten by a Grant Tuer improver by 1 ¼ lengths.

The handicapper has left Star Shakeera on an unchanged mark of 59 which seems generous and she is expected to run well with up to four places available.

The Robert Cowell trained ARAIFJAN (best priced at 5-1) has a good record at Chelmsford with form figures of 212 including a course and distance win off a mark of 72 earlier this season. The four-year-old has finished 2nd at both Newmarket and Chelmsford since before disappointing at Wolverhampton on the Tapeta last time.

Araifjan has a good draw in Stall 1 for this and connections have booked Hollie Doyle for the ride who won on the gelding back in November 2020. The two three-year-olds Toussarok and Alphonse Karr are respected in this race but the proven course and distance winning form of Araifjan could be enough to tip the scales in his favour. 

The top weight NOBLE CRUSADE (best priced at 3-1) is 2/2 over this course and distance and should prove hard to beat back here following a below-par run at Musselburgh last time. The son of Noble Mission won on his penultimate start here off a mark of 78 and is now only 3lb higher in this race.

Noble Crusade is a bit of quirky character (mounted in the chute here last time) so the fact that Callum Rodriguez takes back over from Saffie Osbourne is a positive and I expect him to prove hard to beat back over this course and distance.