Steve Ryder's Saturday Racing Tips

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Despite form figures of PPP on his previous three starts, I think Global Citizen (best priced at 20/1) is worth taking a chance on in this race. The Ben Pauling trained ten-year-old actually finished 2nd in this race in 2018 off a 3lb higher mark and this is the first time he has dropped below that mark since. Since that run he has won the valuable Gerry Feilden Hurdle off a mark of 146, defeated Silver Streak in a Grade 2 hurdle, won the Grade 2 Wayward Novices’ Chase at Kempton and finished 4th in the Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival.

The Ben Pauling yard were in poor form last season which could be an excuse for his three efforts but his stable is in much better form currently and are operating at a 21% strike rate in the previous two weeks. Global Citizen has been dropped 8lb for his effort in the County Hurdle at Cheltenham meaning he runs here off a mark of 142 and I feel he is worth taking a chance on at a big price.

Paisley Park (best priced at 9/4) has lost his aura of invincibility he had a couple of years ago but it will be disappointing if he couldn’t win this Grade 2 on his return. Neither Masty Tommytucker, returning from chasing for the first time since 2018, or Thomas Darby have a great record fresh whereas Paisley Park has form figures of 1112 on his reappearance. His only defeat came when 2nd behind Thyme Hill giving him weight in the Long Distance Hurdle last season at Newbury. He reversed form with that rival at Ascot in the Long Walk Hurdle before finishing 3rd in the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last season which is miles ahead of his rivals form in this.

Paisley Park has to be forgiven a lacklustre effort at Aintree but I expect Emma Lavelle to have him fit for his return with his issues in the past and it will be disappointing if he couldn’t win this on his reappearance despite conceding weight to his rivals.

If Cyrname runs up to his rating of 168 following another wind operation then he will be extremely hard to beat however I feel the value currently lies with Shan Blue (best priced at 3/1). The Dan Skelton trained seven-year-old won a novice chase over 2m4f here before defying a penalty to win over this course and distance beating Snow Leopardess by 16 lengths. Following those two course wins he won the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase in impressive style and I actually think he is overpriced for the King George at 33/1 (see my antepost jumps preview on the site).

Harry Skelton made too much use of Shan Blue in the Marsh Chase at the Cheltenham Festival following the fall of Envoi Allen and he looked a tired horse at Aintree despite finishing 2nd in a Grade 1 behind Chantry House so those efforts can be slightly excused. Dan Skelton is a fantastic target trainer and I would think this has been an early season target for a while and I expect him to win this before going on to contest the King George VI Chase at Kempton at Christmas.

The Anthony Honeyball trained Regal Encore (best priced at 14/1) is always overlooked in the market with his Ascot wins coming at prices of 20/1, 6/1, 16/1 and 14/1 and I feel he is overpriced once again over a course and distance that he has such a good record at. He finished 2nd behind Vinndication in this race in 2019 before winning it last year off a mark of 145. He has a further three more course and distance wins on his CV and is now only rated 4lb higher than when winning this on his reappearance last year.

Regal Encore finished only a head behind an in-form Captain Chaos here in February off a 1lb higher mark so this rating of 149 shouldn’t be beyond him and I feel he is worth backing each way with up to five places on offer.