Steve Ryder Wednesday Racing Tips

Trainer Milton Harris is having a fantastic season by his standards this season so it is interesting to see how MORDRED (best priced at 11-10) runs on his stable debut in this race. The five-year-old was rated as a high as 95 on the flat for Richard Hannon before transferring to Paul Webber to go jumping. He ran with credit on his three starts over hurdles with form figures of 235 in maiden/novice hurdles which has meant he can run here off an opening handicap mark of 102.

That rating makes Mordred look extremely well handicapped given his ability on the flat and he is now expected to step forward now he has joined the in-form Milton Harris stable who run him in a hood for the first time over obstacles.

This is a fascinating listed Mares’ Chase as the proven chase form of Chilli Filli, Casablanca Mix and Momella comes up against SILVER FOREVER (best priced at 5-4) whose only run over fences came when winning a match over this course and distance in November. The Paul Nicholls trained mare does set the standard based on hurdles ratings though and she has a really consistent profile having never finished out of the top three in her 10 career runs, with her winning seven of those races.

Despite Silver Forever only winning a two horse race last time, her rival was the higher rated Imperial Alcazar so it was an impressive performance where she jumped well before easing clear by six lengths at the finish. The Paul Nicholls stable remain in good form currently with a 23% strike rate and I expect her to make it 2/2 over fences.  

This looks a strong novice hurdle and despite Pull Again Green setting the standard with his 2nd placed finish at Ascot, I am taking a chance on the Richard Spencer trained WONDERWALL (best priced at 4-1) who was one of the best UK bumper horses last season. The five-year-old won on his debut at Ascot before finishing a close 3rd at the same track in a listed bumper in December. The form of that run is working out well with the winner Knappers Hill winning a Grade 2 bumper and his two hurdling starts this season and the second Stage Star also winning his two hurdling starts this season too.

Wonderwall finished 7th in the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival which was a good run and the form of that run has again worked out well with the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th all winning since. He makes his reappearance here following 273 days off the track but I expect him to make a winning hurdling debut.