Steve Ryder's Friday Racing Tips

This is a rare conditions race where two-year-olds can face three-year-olds and preference goes to one of the juveniles Eldrickjones (best priced at 5/2) who receives a substantial weight advantage from his older rivals. The Roger Fell trained son of Cotai Glory has some smart form in Group 2 races from earlier this season including a 2nd placed finish in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Eldrickjones finished 2nd by ½ length at Newcastle last time in a conditions race and also has form at Newmarket from earlier this season, albeit on the July course, when only beaten three lengths in the Group 2 July Stakes. With a rating of 97, he is only rated 1lb lower than Bahrain Pride and 2lb lower than Spycatcher but receives over a stone in weight from his rivals and that should mean that Eldrickjones is hard to beat.

The Tom Dascombe trained The Nu Form Way (best priced at 5/2) showed very little in his early career performances before a gelding operation sparked improvement out of him. The son of Le Havre won at Nottingham over 1m2f on soft ground at the start of October off a mark of 61 before following up at Doncaster a week ago under the same conditions.

The Nu Way Form won by 4 ½ lengths that day earning an 8lb rise from the handicapper but instead he runs here under a 6lb penalty meaning that he is 2lb “well in” at the weights. The gelding stayed on strongly over 1m2f on soft ground once again shaping like this step up to 1m4f will suit him well and that should help him in his quest to complete a hat-trick. 

The Simon Dow trained Aurelia Gold (best priced at 5/2) is another who is “well in” at the weights as a result of her recent 2nd and that should mean she proves hard to beat in this 0-65 handicap. The daughter of Havana Gold finished well beaten in three novice races when sent off 20/1, 150/1 and 150/1 but appreciated the switch to handicaps where she finished a ½ length 3rd at Wolverhampton earlier this month off an opening mark of 56.

Aurelia Gold was only beaten a short head over this course and distance 10 days ago off a mark of 57 under Silvestre De Sousa and the pair race here again off the same mark. The handicapper has raised her 3lb for that run meaning she runs here “well in” at the weights and that should mean she proves hard to beat from a better draw in Stall 4 in comparison to Stall 14 last time.