Steve Ryder's Thursday Racing Tips

The Michael Dods trained GALE FORCE MAYA (best priced at 5-1) has placed on all three of her starts at Newmarket with two of those efforts coming in this race. She finished a length 2nd in 2019 off a mark of 82 before finishing 3rd beaten only ¾ length last season off a mark of 87. 

Gale Force Maya has been extremely consistent this season off a mark of 92 and finished 3rd in the Great St Wilfrid Handicap at Ripon when beaten only 1 ½ lengths by Justanotherbottle last month. She comes into this race having got back to winning ways at Pontefract last time and the handicapper has only raised her 1lb for that victory. Connections have booked talented 5lb claimer Adam Farragher for the ride and that should mean she can defy top weight

Trainer Andre Fabre is always respected when bringing a horse over to the UK and his representative TRIDENT (best priced at 11-8) should prove hard to beat in this race. The son of Wootton Bassett made a winning debut at Longchamp in June before finishing a close 3rd in the Group 3 Prix de Cabourg on his next start. He received a bump from the winner Perfect Power when making his challenge 1f out in the Group 1 Prix Morny last time but still finished ahead of the likes of Asymmetric and Armor who are contesting the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes on Saturday.

Trident drops down in class to contest this Group 3 race and should prove hard to beat upped in trip to 7f for the first time. Modern Games is respected but it was only a nursery that he won last time at Doncaster and Trident sets a high standard to try to overcome.

The Martyn Meade trained BAKE (best priced at 10-3) has won both of his starts this season and should hold strong claims of landing the hat-trick in this race. The son of Toronado was gelded following two respectable runs as a two year old and made a winning reappearance at Yarmouth when victorious by a widening 9 ½ lengths.

Bake won on handicap debut at Doncaster last time off an opening mark of 82 and the handicapper has only raised him 2lb for that success. Tom Marquand was on board for his impressive Yarmouth success and is now reunited and he should prove hard to beat.