Steve Ryder is back with three tips for today's action, with runners at Brighton and Pontefract.
13:40 Brighton
The Daniel Steele trained The Defiant (best priced at 5/2) has been in good form since joining this stable in 2022 with form figures of 7111420235. The six-year-old finished a close 3rd at Salisbury last month when only beaten ¾ length off a mark of 65 before outrunning odds of 100/1 to finish a close 5th at Goodwood last week when only beaten 1 ¼ lengths from 14lbs out of the handicap.
The Defiant has been raised 10lbs for that effort by the handicapper but gets to run here off his previous mark of 65 making him 10lbs “well in” at the weights. Connections have booked Rhys Clutterbuck to take off a further 3lbs and he should prove hard to beat in this race.
15:50 Pontefract
This looks a competitive 0-80 handicap but preference goes to the top weight Global Spirit (best priced at 9/4). The Roger Fell trained seven-year-old was a previous course and distance winner in April off a mark of 77 and he now runs in this race off a 1lb lower mark. Since that victory he has slightly disappointed up in class at York and twice at Carlisle but bounced back to form last time when only a nose behind Motarajel at Ripon.
That run was off a mark of 75 and the handicapper has raised Global Spirit 1lb for that up to a mark of 76 but he still looks well handicapped off that mark and should run well once again back at this track.
16:40 Brighton
The Michael Attwater trained Bear To Dream (best priced at 7/2) has a good record at Brighton in her career with form figures of 61323 including a victory over 7f here in May. Since that victory she has finished a 1 length 3rd over 7f here off a mark of 55 before finishing only a neck behind Almodovar when 2nd over 6f here last month off the same mark.
Bear To Dream slightly disappointed when only 6th at Yarmouth last time off a mark of 57 but she has been dropped 1lb for that effort down to a mark of 56 and crucially now drops back down in trip to 6f at this course. Connections have booked Rhys Clutterbuck to take off a valuable 3lbs and I think she will prove hard to beat in this race.
