Following a 6/4 and 10/3 winner yesterday, Steve Ryder is back with three tips from today's action.
13:55 Worcester
Ben Pauling has his string in good form currently and recent course and distance winner ANIGHTINLAMBOURN (best priced at 13/8) should hold strong claims of following up in this race off a 7lb higher mark. The eight-year-old bounced back from a disappointing effort at Bangor over hurdles to win over this course and distance last month when switched back to chasing. She stayed on well at the finish to win by 3 ¼ lengths which was a further 15 lengths clear of the reopposing Princess Midnight.
The handicapper has raised Anightinlambourn 7lbs for that victory which is fair and I expect her to prove hard to beat off top weight with her four rivals all facing question marks following their respective runs last time.
14:05 Haydock
The Jim Goldie trained YAASER (best priced at 12/1) has been in really consistent form this season including four wins and four placed efforts and he should run well once again. The progressive four-year-old was only beaten 2 ½ lengths in a class 2 Ascot handicap on his penultimate start over 7f from 10lbs out of the handicap before finishing a close 3rd at Newcastle last time in the Racing League.
Yaaser was slowly away over the mile trip before not getting the clearest of runs late on. He ran on to finish only 1 ¾ lengths behind Raising Sand at the finish and gets to run here off the same mark. That was his first run on the AW but this return to turf shouldn’t inconvenience him and he looks sure to run well with up to five places available.
14:40 Haydock
The John & Thady Gosden trained BALTIC BIRD (best priced at 5/1) needs to bounce back from a below-par effort in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot but he is interesting off an opening handicap mark of 92. Benoit De La Sayette has ridden him on two of his starts including when getting off the mark in impressive style at Yarmouth in May when stretching clear by 3 ¾ lengths at the finish. The form of that race has been boosted since with the 2nd, 4th, 5th and 8th all winning since and this opening mark of 92 seems very fair.
Baltic Bird was apparently unsuited by the good to firm ground at Royal Ascot according to the Steward’s report so connections have obviously waited for this good to soft ground and he should run well if he is fit enough following a 100 day break.
