Thursday Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

The Ralph Beckett trained ALBAFLORA (best priced at 11/8) is top rated in this Group 3 Ormonde Stakes and she should prove hard to beat given her record fresh. The five-year-old made a winning reappearance last season at Ascot on soft ground in a listed race when she justified favouritism to win by seven lengths. She ran well in defeat in Group 1 and Group 2 races on her following three starts before finishing a close 2nd in the Darley Oaks behind Snowfall at York. 

Albaflora ended last season with a short head second in the Group 1 Champion Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot and she should prove hard to beat if repeating that form on her reappearance. 

Chester is often a tough ask for a horse on debut and if the favourite California Gem misses the break then she could prove vulnerable over this 5f trip. The Charlie & Mark Johnston trained EXPLICIT (best priced at 7/2) was quite the opposite on his debut at Musselburgh when showing brilliant gate speed and early pace to lead for most of that 5f contest.

Explicit in the end came 2nd on the good to soft ground behind the well backed Miss Jungle Cat and he should be able to go one better today with Franny Norton taking over on board. 

Although the favourite Another Romance holds strong claims under a penalty in this race, she looks a short price for this contest and the obvious each way alternative is the Joe Parr trained THE GREEN MAN (best priced at 10/1). The son of Acclamation finished 4th in a strong looking maiden at Newmarket on his debut in April when a lot went wrong throughout the contest. 

The Green Man was slowly away and ran green in the early stages before making good headway late on to take 4th. The 1-2 that day were both experienced so he was set a tough task on that debut and if Hollie Doyle is able to get him into a good position from Stall 10 then he is the obvious choice to follow home or even upset the favourite.