Sunday Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

The Eve Johnson Houghton trained Bluelight Bay (best priced at 6/4) made an encouraging debut over this course and distance 16 days ago and a repeat of that performance should be good enough to win this. The son of Exceed And Excel finished 2nd of 11 runners behind the impressive winner Royal Scotsman and the form of that run has been boosted by the fourth Show Respect winning by 3 ¾ lengths on his next start at Leicester.

Al Khazneh, who also finished 2nd on his debut, looks the biggest danger ahead of well bred newcomers Flag Flying, Gaallib and King’s Gem but I expect Bluelight Bay to get off the mark at the second attempt.

The George Baker trained The Lamplighter (best priced at 11/2) won this race last year off a 4lb lower mark but comes here following two good efforts so far this season. The seven-year-old is a two-time course and distance winner in the past including when winning this race last season off a mark of 77.

The Lamplighter finished 2nd over this course and distance by a nose on his reappearance off a mark of 80 before finishing 2nd at Brighton off a mark of 81. He was only beaten 1 ½ lengths that day and the handicapper has been generous in leaving him on that same mark and I feel he should prove hard to beat back at his favoured track.

This looks a good renewal of the Perth Gold Cup but I feel the only course winner in the field Minella Trump (best priced at 5/2) should prove hard to beat in this contest. The Donald McCain trained eight-year-old has been a model of consistency over fences with form figures of 11111121 including when winning over this course and distance in April.

Minella Trump won impressively by 3 ¼ lengths that day off a mark of 140 and a 5lb rise from the handicapper is justified. Irish raider Glenloe looks the biggest danger having run well in headgear on his previous two starts but I feel that course experience should mean Minella Trump proves hard to beat.