Steve Ryder's Wednesday Racing Tips

My Mate Mozzie has received all of the early market support for this race but I much prefer the chances of the Jessie Harrington trained Barbados (best priced at 11/10) on his hurdling debut. The five-year-old has some really smart flat form including finishing 2nd in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot, finishing 2nd in the Group 3 Vintage Crop Stakes, finishing only five lengths behind Search For A Song in the Irish St Leger and most recently when winning by 12 lengths at Listowel and achieving an RPR of 110. 

Barbados has no doubts about staying this 2m trip over jumps, will be fit from a recent run 19 days ago and his form is miles ahead of My Mate Mozzie based on his rivals flat run last time when 2nd in a maiden at Ballinrobe where he only achieved an RPR of 71. Connections could have easily kept Barbados as a group-level performer on the flat so we have to assume that he has schooled well over hurdles at home and the gelding is expected to prove hard to beat. 

This is a really interesting Grade 3 Chase where National Hunt Chase winner Galvin faces two race-fit Willie Mullins trained geldings who are closely matched with the favourite on ratings. Despite Galvin having a fantastic record fresh I have a feeling that he will be campaigned differently this season with the winter festivals in mind and therefore I will take a chance on Brahma Bull (best priced at 2/1) instead. 
The ten-year-old is top-rated in this field with a mark of 157 (3lb higher than Galvin) and actually receives 8lb from the favourite. He has been inconsistent this season but won over a valuable handicap chase over this course and distance off a mark of 148 earlier this season before finishing 2nd in the Kerry National last time under Sean O’Keefe off a mark of 157. Annamix finished only a neck behind his stablemate that day but is now 4lb worse off with Brahma Bull and that should ensure the selection confirms that form. 

The Ralph Beckett trained Abstinence (best priced at 11/4) receives weight from her main market rival in this race and should prove hard to beat as a result. The three-year-old won on her reappearance this season at Chelmsford before finishing 4th in a Group 3 and a close 3rd in a listed race at Newmarket last time. She was only beaten 1 ¾ lengths that day so she is deserving of her rating of 98. 

Her main rival Urban Artist has shown all of her best form on soft or heavy ground so this good to firm ground is an obvious worry and that should mean that her younger rival is hard to beat. Rob Hornby has ridden Abstinence on all four of her career starts and if she behaves in the stalls (withdrawn last time) then she should prove hard to beat.