Steve Ryder Monday Racing Tips

Trainer Chris Gordon has won the previous two renewals of this race with Highway One O Two (2019) and Annual Invictus (2020) and he looks to have a strong chance of completing the hat-trick with AUCUNRISQUE (best priced at 11/4) this year. The five-year-old has some strong form in bumpers including when only beaten 1 ½ lengths in a listed bumper at Cheltenham a month ago. 

Aucunrisque had previously won a Stratford bumper by 4 ¼ lengths on his reappearance in October when making all and Tom Cannon could repeat those tactics in this race to give him a good sight of his hurdles. The Alan King trained Sonning looks the biggest danger having won by 11 lengths last time but that was against the three-year-olds and he will have a much stiffer task against the likes of Aucunrisque in this race. 

The Richard Hannon trained SIXTH STREET (best priced at 2/1) has ran with credit on her three career starts to date and with a rating of 74, she should prove hard to beat in this race. The daughter of Toronado finished a close 2nd on her debut at Wolverhampton in September before equalling that effort with a 2nd place over this course and distance 18 days ago.

Sixth Street finished 2nd behind the short-priced favourite Tippy Toes that day but it looked a strong contest with the winner, 3rd and 4th all coming into the race following victories on their previous starts. The £220,000 purchase Conflict is respected on his debut for Andrew Balding but he has to give weight away to a couple of fillies with proven form and may struggle.

The return to this course and distance should suit the Rae Guest trained FAUVETTE (best priced at 5/2) who was an impressive winner on her penultimate start before slightly disappointing at Lingfield last time. 
Fauvette won here off a mark 74 in impressive style in November when she stayed on well to win by 2 ½ lengths at the finish. The handicapper raised her 7lbs for that victory up to a mark of 81 and I think she would have had a good chance of winning that day if she had been given a better ride by Adam Kirby who gave her a lot to do. She is well drawn to get a good position from Stall 1 and I expect her to prove hard to beat under David Probert.