Thursday Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

The favourite Camembert looks vulnerable dropped down in trip on better ground so preference instead goes to the Bernard Llewellyn trained MIND HUNTER (best priced at 4-1). The four-year-old gets plenty of weight from his main market rival in this race and comes into it having run well on his handicap debut last time.

Mind Hunter was rated 78 on the flat and following a 3rd on his final start in a juvenile hurdle he was given an opening handicap mark of 83. He ran well off that mark at Doncaster in January when a close 2nd by 2 ½ lengths and he should hold strong claims off a 3lb higher mark.

I am a little surprised that PETER'S PORTRAIT (best priced at 12-1) is available at a double figure price in this race as he is now down to his last winning mark. The nine-year-old won by five lengths off this mark of 98 in October 2020 in first time cheekpieces so it seems significant that he is fitted with a first time visor now that he has dropped down to his last winning mark.

Peter’s Portrait needs to show more than he has done on his two starts this season since a 417 day break but I am hoping that a visor sparks him back into life now that the handicapper has dropped him slightly in the ratings.

The Denis Hogan trained WILD HUNT (best priced at 3-1) has won his previous two starts over hurdles and should prove hard to beat in his bid for a hat-trick. The five-year-old runs here under a 7lb penalty for his four-length success at Down Royal last time which actually makes him 3lbs “well in” at the weights following a 10lb rise by the handicapper. 

Connections have booked talented 7lb claimer Shane Mulcahy to negate his penalty in this race and he should prove hard to beat if coping with the faster ground. His two previous victories have been by seven lengths on heavy ground, four lengths on soft ground so this yielding ground is a slight question mark but I do expect him to prove hard to beat.