Wednesday Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

FILS D'OUDAIRIES (best priced at 15/8) joined Nicky Henderson from Joseph O’Brien earlier this season and he has run well on both starts in 2022. The seven-year-old had lost his way over fences following falls at both Cheltenham and Punchestown before pulling up in a PTP on his final start in Ireland. Fils D’Oudairies returned to finish 2nd in the valuable Holloway’s Handicap Hurdle at Ascot in January on his stable debut before putting in a career best performance when 2nd behind Langer Dan at Aintree in the Grade 3 handicap hurdle over 2m4f.

Fils D’Oudairies finished only 1 ¾ lengths behind Langer Dan that day and pulled a further 8 lengths clear of stablemate Balco Coastal in third which looks strong form. He is rated 143 which puts him 1lb higher than Ganapathi and that means he should prove hard to beat off level weights.  

The Charlie Hills trained ROXZOFF (best priced at 6/4) has been in good form recently with form figures of 1122 and he should prove hard to beat in this race. The three-year-old has won at both Wolverhampton and Southwell this season with two close defeats coming at Newcastle and Beverley. His latest effort came when only a nose behind Autumn Festival at Beverley off a mark of 70 and he gets to run here off the same mark.

The handicapper has raised Roxzoff 1lb up to a mark of 71 so he gets to run here 1lb “well in” at the weights and he should prove hard to beat with Kieran Shoemark once again on board.

This looks a strong renewal of the Punchestown Gold Cup so I think it looks worth taking on the favourite Allaho back up in trip to three miles. The biggest danger appears to be GALVIN (best priced at 11/2) who represents the in-form Gordon Elliott yard who won four races on the opening day yesterday. The eight-year-old won the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last season before running well on all four starts this season. He won over this course and distance on his reappearance this season before finishing a close 2nd behind Frodon at Down Royal in the Grade 1 Champion Chase.

Galvin defeated subsequent Gold Cup winner A Plus Tard in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown at Christmas before finishing 4th in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham this year. He didn’t jump as well as he can that day and always seemed to be on the back foot under Davy Russell but he looks the obvious each-way play against the favourite in this race with up to four places available.