Steve Ryder Saturday Racing Tips

This listed mares’ hurdle is a weaker race than expected following the defection of last year’s winner Molly Ollys Wishes and I feel Marie’s Rock (best priced at 9/4) represents value against the short priced favourite Indefatigable. The Nicky Henderson trained mare was a high class novice hurdler who appeared to lose her way until she was an impressive winner at Kempton her penultimate start on her first start over further than 2 miles. She won a competitive handicap hurdle by seven lengths that day which earnt her a 9lb rise up to a mark of 140 before she lost all chance in the Lanzarote Hurdle last time when badly hampered by a faller.

Marie’s Rock is rated 7lbs lower than the favourite Indefatigable here but receives 6lbs from her rival and that is enough for me to think she is value play at the prices.

There is very little doubt that Journey With Me deserves to be favourite for this race but at 4/9 he is readily opposed with the Stuart Crawford trained O’Toole (best priced at 9/2) who looks a top class prospect in his own right. The six-year-old was bought by Simon Munir & Isaac Souede following his 15 length victory on his debut in a bumper before finishing 2nd in the Grade 1 Champion Bumper at the Punchestown Festival. He split the talented Willie Mullins pair of Kilcruit and Sir Gerhard that day with Grade 2 winner Eric Bloodaxe a further seven lengths back in 4th.

O’Toole made a winning reappearance on his hurdling debut at Down Royal when he won comfortably by 7 ½ lengths over 2m1f and he should be well suited by this step up in trip. He has to concede 2lbs to both Journey With Me and Hi Ho Phoenix but this trip of 2m3f looks on the short side for both of those of those rivals and hopefully O’Toole can capitalise using a better turn of foot.

This looks a fascinating renewal of the Grade 2 Denman Chase and I am going to take a chance on 2019 winner Clan Des Obeaux (best priced at 5/4) despite the current stable form of Paul Nicholls. The ten-year-old has been rated 169+ since his King George VI Chase success in 2018 and if he runs up to his rating then he should prove extremely hard to beat in this race. Royale Pagaille is respected but has put in his best performances on either soft or heavy ground, Imperial Aura has failed to complete on his previous four starts, Eldorado Allen has stamina to prove and De Rasher Counter is returning from 489 days off the track.

Clan Des Obeaux has shown improved form since the application of cheekpieces following his defeat in this race last season and should prove hard to beat if running up to form.

Novices have a fantastic record in the Betfair Hurdle and I expect both Broomfield Burg (best priced at 4/1) and JPR One (best priced at 6/1) to be fighting out the finish for the race this year. The Nicky Henderson trained six-year-old held a big reputation coming into this season following his 8 ½ length defeat of the 130 rated Brorson in a Southwell bumper and made no mistake on his hurdling debut at Warwick winning by 9 ½ lengths. He finished 2nd on his next two starts at Newbury and Cheltenham when many questioned his attitude in the finish but he bounced back to win at Kempton last time by 10 lengths in impressive style. He runs here off a mark of 134 and should be well suited by the traditionally fast pace and large field.

The second selection for the race is JPR One (best priced at 6/1) who defied an SP of 12/1 to win on his hurdling debut this season at Exeter when he beat the 135 rated Luttrell Lad, the 134 rated I Am Maximus and the 125 rated stablemate Triple Trade. He finished 2nd at Cheltenham on his next start before winning comfortably at Taunton by 6 ½ lengths on his last start. He looks well handicapped off a mark of 130 and should run well in this before a possible stab at the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.