Steve Ryder Wednesday Racing Tips

View profit and loss, tipster profiles and get notifications when articles go live on the free oddschecker app. Download it here.

Monsieur Co defeated CEDAR HILL (best priced at 4/1) in this race last season but I feel the Sandy Thomson trained seven-year-old can reverse the form of that run this year. Their form has been opposite since with Monsieur Co not winning since and now coming into this race off a 15lb lower mark whereas Cedar Hill has form figures of 10F32 since and is now rated 7lb higher.

Cedar Hill has a fantastic record at Kelso with form figures of 11213 at the track including a course and distance win off a 4lb lower mark in March and a close 3rd placed effort (beaten only a length) in May off a 2lb higher mark. He was beaten in a match race at Wetherby on his latest start which wouldn’t have suited him and I expect him to get back to winning ways in this race.

The Gordon Elliott trained RUN WILD FRED (best priced at 5/2) is extremely experienced over fences with nine completed chase efforts and comes here with a rating of 159 following his impressive victory in the Troytown Handicap Chase last time. The seven-year-old is a consistent sort with form figures of 345522221 over fences including placed efforts in both the Thyestes and Irish Grand National.

Davy Russell rode him to victory last time in the Troytown on his first time ride on the horse and it seems significant that he retains the ride over Jack Kennedy who rides stablemate Fury Road in this race. This looks a strong contest with both Ontheropes and Vanillier deserving respect but preference goes to Run Wild Fred who can win this en route to the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Willie Mullins has a strong hand in the Matheson Hurdle this year with Sharjah, Saint Roi and ECHOES IN RAIN (best priced at 9/2) all holding strong claims. Preference goes to the mare Echoes In Rain who had a fantastic novice hurdle season where she won four out of her five starts. The five-year-old won a pair of Grade 2s at Naas and Fairyhouse before winning the Grade 1 Champion Novice Hurdle at the Punchestown Festival in impressive style when eye-catchingly strong in the market.

The form of that win is working out well this season with Colonel Mustard (beaten 3 ¼ lengths) winning a maiden hurdle and finishing 2nd behind Jonbon in the Grade 2 Kennel Gate Novices’ Hurdle at Ascot and the third Blue Lord making an impressive chasing debut at Fairyhouse. Echoes In Rain raced far too keenly in the Morgiana Hurdle on her reappearance where she wasn’t suited by the three runner race and I feel she will have a good chance of reversing that form with both Sharjah and Zanahiyr in this race with both Petit Mouchoir and Felix Desjy having been bold front runners in the past.

The two unexposed novices Gericault Roque and Saint Palais are obviously open to improvement in this race but both have to cope with higher marks in this race and preference instead goes to the proven form of NESTOR PARK (best priced at 6/1). The Ben Pauling trained eight-year-old finished 2nd in this race last year off a mark of 130 and runs in the contest this year off only a 2lb higher mark.

Nestor Park went on to finish 2nd behind Lieutenant Rocco at Ffos Las off a mark of 136 before finding the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival too tough last season on his next start. He was beaten 32 lengths at Lingfield on his reappearance which was a disappointing effort but the Ben Pauling yard are in a lot better form currently with a strike rate of 28% in the last two weeks and I feel Nestor Park should run well with up to five places on offer.