After picking two winners at 7/2 & 9/4 yesterday, Steve Ryder is back with three tips for today's action.
18:10 Doncaster
The races in the Racing League all look fiercely competitive but I feel FRESH HOPE (best priced at 3/1) should prove hard to beat in this race. The Charlie Fellowes trained three-year-old won at this course in May over a mile before being drawn on the wrong side when 6th at Royal Ascot in the Sandringham handicap off a mark of 82.
Fresh Hope justified her short price last time when winning at Leicester off the same mark and the handicapper has only raised her 2lbs for that ½ length success under a stereotypical confident ride from Jamie Spencer. Hayley Turner, who rode her at Royal Ascot, is back on board which is a positive in the Racing League and I feel she should prove hard to beat in this race.
18:15 Leopardstown
There is no doubt that CLEVELAND (best priced at 4/1) is going to be targeted at the Melbourne Cup having transferred from Aidan O’Brien to Joseph O’Brien but I feel he can take this Group 3 Ballyroan Stakes en route. The lightly raced four-year-old stepped forward from his reappearance run to win the Chester Cup off a mark of 98 where he had subsequent Royal Ascot and Coral Marathon winner Coltrane behind (now rated 18lbs higher).
Cleveland was sent off favourite for the 1m6f Copper Horse Handicap at Royal Ascot but he bumped into the David O’Meara trained Get Shirty who has won at Haydock on his next start and is now rated 11lbs higher than at Royal Ascot. He is rated the same as the favourite Beamish and I am hoping that his added experience means he is hard to beat in this race.
20:05 Sligo
It is worth going back and watching the previous two runs of GLENDARS MAHLER (best priced at 6/1) as form figures of FS don’t tell the whole story. The James Fahey trained six-year-old was five lengths clear and still travelling well when falling at the second last hurdle at Downpatrick in June before once again looking in a winning position when slipping up approaching the second last at Roscommon last month when attempting to run out.
On both of those occasions, Glendars Mahler had been ridden by 4lb claimers but it seems significant that connections have now booked Derek O’Connor for the ride. She drops back into a bumper which eases any concerns about her jumping and she should run well.
