Steve Ryder's Thursday Racing Tips

The Joseph O’Brien trained AMORTENTIA (best priced at 9-4) has ran well to finish 2nd on his two starts so far and should hold strong claims of going one better in this race. The son of Caravaggio finished ¾ length behind the 100 rated Manu Et Corden and one place ahead of the Group 2 placed Stone Age on debut at Leopardstown before finishing runner-up again at Dundalk on his next start.

The form of that race is also working out well with the winner Absolute Ruler finishing a close 3rd in the Group 2 Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown on his next start with the pair pulling 5 ½ lengths clear of the third. Amortentia faces a couple of newcomers from respected stables in Boundless Ocean and Dalmation Coast but the Jim Bolger form (0-18) would be a concern and Amortentia is expected to get off the mark at the third attempt.

The Edward O’Grady trained DOWNTHECELLAR (best priced at 6-4) has improved 37lb this season over fences and should now prove hard to beat over hurdles off a reduced mark. The seven-year-old had won four times in a row over fences with three of those victories coming at this course before switching back to hurdles last time at Wexford where he looked the most likely winner 2 out before running out under Paul Townend.

Makes Walsh now deputises for his injured colleague and will be sure to have a horse on his right hand side approaching hurdles the closing stages and I expect Downthecellar to prove hard to beat back at Tramore.

New York City looks a worthy favourite for this race but at odds on, he looks a bit short and I instead prefer the chances of LOPES GOLD (best priced at 6-1). The Jessie Harrington trained filly has run well to finish 2nd in two maidens so far this season before finding a listed race at Fairyhouse too hot last time.

Lopes Gold finished only ¾ length behind Prettiest at Navan in May and that rival has been campaigned exclusively in Group races since. A further length behind in third was Agartha who won the Group 3 Silver Flash Stakes and Group 2 Debutante Stakes before finishing 4th in the Prix Marcel Boussac on Arc day. Lopes Gold needs to bounce back from a below par effort last time but that was after 113 days off the track and a much better performance is expected here.