Thursday Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

Paul Nicholls has won the last two renewals of this race with Siroco Jo and Tomorrow Mystery and I expect GRIVETANA (best priced at 3/1) to hold strong claims of completing a hat-trick of wins in the race for the trainer. The lightly four-year-old won on her only start in France by 12 lengths before finishing 4th on her stable debut at Wincanton. She bounced back from that below par effort to win at Chepstow by 4 ¾ lengths before finishing 4th at Cheltenham on her handicap debut off a mark of 122.

Grivetana races here off a 1lb lower mark and if she is fit enough following 203 days off the track then she should run well under top conditional jockey Angus Cheleda. 

The Donald McCain trained MASKED CRUSADER (best priced at 7/4) looks the type to progress over fences this season and he should prove hard to beat on his handicap debut off a mark of 120. The six-year-old had good form in PTPs before joining the stable where he had form figures of 211 in novice hurdles last season. 

Masked Crusader won by 31 lengths at Carlisle in February before scraping home at Kelso under a penalty on his final start last season. He has had a wind operation over the summer and he should prove better than a 120 rated chaser at the end of the season. 

The Robert Cowell trained ANGLE LAND (best priced at 9/2) has shown improved form since being fitted with a visor and she should run well once again over this course and distance from 3lbs “well in” at the weights. The three-year-old finished 3rd at Yarmouth by a length in a first time visor in September before finishing 3rd at Wolverhampton on her next start. 

Angle Land finished only a short head behind the well handicapped Ornate last time over this course and distance a week ago off a mark of 67 and she gets to run here off the same mark despite the handicapper raising her 3lbs. She is well drawn in Stall 6 and should run well under Hayley Turner with up to four places available.