Steve Ryder's Monday Racing Tips

The Johnny Murtagh trained CARRYTHEONE (best priced at 9-2) has a progressive profile and he is expected to cope with this rise in class. The four-year-old won two races last season including a handicap at the Curragh off a mark of 97 on his final start before appearing to badly need his reappearance run when down the field in the Irish Cambridgeshire Handicap.

Carrytheone bounced back to form last time with an impressive 3 ½ length win over the Aidan O’Brien trained Forest Of Dreams where he showed plenty of pace on his first start over 7f. So far in his career, Carrytheone is unraced on ground softer than yielding but being a son of Lope De Vega, he should handle the conditions well and is expected to run well in his first group race.

This looks a competitive 0-75 handicap but I feel two course and distance winners are currently overpriced in the market. 

The first is the Michael Dods trained MOTAWAAZY (best priced at 4-1) who has been running consistently well this season for his new trainer with form figures of 2122134111. The five-year-old has won all three of his runs since dropping down to 6f including a win over this course and distance last time off a mark of 69. The handicapper has raised the gelding 3lb for his ¾ length victory which seems very fair and he showed earlier this season at Catterick that he handles this softer surface.

The second selection in the race is last year’s winner PENNY POT LANE (best priced at 14-1) who is a three-time course and distance winner. She won this race last season on soft ground off a mark of 66 and has finally dropped back down to that mark following a couple of below par efforts recently. She did finish 3rd only beaten a length over this course and distance earlier this season so she still looks to retain her ability and she should run well back on soft ground. 

The Susan Finn trained YOUCEEYOUCEECEE (best priced at 16-1) is currently first reserve for this race but would be of huge interest if getting a run in the race. The nine-year-old finished 2nd in a division of this race last season off a mark of 55 and the gelding now looks extremely well handicapped off a 4lb lower mark.

Youceeyouceecee is a previous course and distance winner who has also placed on soft/heavy ground off a mark of 64 in the past so we know he will handle conditions. He has finished 6th on his previous two runs but has dropped 6lb as a result and he should outrun his odds if getting a run in the race. 

Trainer Eddie Lynam pitched JON RIGGENS (best priced at 15-8) into a valuable handicap at the Curragh on Irish Champions Weekend on his handicap debut but he found the 6f trip too far. The three-year-old gelding had previously made a winning stable debut at the Curragh over 5f in a 12 runner maiden where he always travelled well before winning but a comfortable 1 ¼ lengths. 

The handicapper was impressed with that performance and re-assessed his handicap mark up to 86 where he contested that race last time but this represents a much easier task. He will appreciate the drop in class and drop in trip and should prove hard to beat if handling the softer ground.