Steve Ryder Sunday Racing Tips

This Grade 3 Handicap Chase has cut up significantly to only six runners since the entry stage and I feel that will suit the unexposed seven-year-old Empire De Maudle (best priced at 5/2). The James Ewart trained gelding has form figures of 231421221 in the previous 12 months and has improved from a mark of 120 up to a mark of 137.

Empire De Maulde won the Edinburgh Gin Chase easily last time over 3m2f and was even still on bridle approaching the final fence. He eased three lengths clear of Big River at the finish under Brian Hughes and a 5lb rise actually looks lenient given the style of that success. Last year’s winner Yala Enki is worthy of respect but he would prefer the ground to be softer and I feel that should mean Empire De Maulde can beat the veteran. 

The Nigel Twiston-Davies trained Ballyandy (best priced at 25/1) has a consistent profile at Cheltenham with form figures of 11344PP32823 including when 2nd in this race last season off a 5lb higher mark behind the extremely well handicapped The Shunter. Following that race he finished ahead of the likes of Sceau Royal and Goshen when 3rd in the International Hurdle which gave him a rating of 157.
Ballyandy was disappointed on his final two starts last season and wasn’t much better in the Welsh Champion Hurdle on his reappearance but it is interesting that he still has an entry for the Grade 1 Fighting Fifth Hurdle later this month. Connections had a winner at Cheltenham yesterday with Gowel Road and hopefully, Ballyandy can outrun his odds with up to seven places available. 

The favourite Natural History is clearly well handicapped on his previous flat form but his final two runs last season raised question marks and preference instead goes to the in-form Mercian Prince (best priced at 13/2). The Amy Murphy trained ten-year-old has ran well on his previous two starts in newly fitted blinkers including when beating Goa Lil by a nose at Kempton off a mark of 134 over fences which has earnt him a 2lb rise up to a mark of 136.

Mercian Prince now runs back over hurdles in this race off a 9lb lower mark and he should prove hard to beat if in the same form. He regularly switches between fences and hurdles so that isn’t a concern and he won his last hurdles start in June off a mark of 125 so I expect him to upset the favourite.