Wednesday Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

The unbeaten Gerri Colombe is respected at the top of the market in this race but preference instead goes to THYMHE HILL (best priced at 10/1) who looks overpriced based on what he has achieved in his career. The Philip Hobbs trained nine-year-old has shown good festival form with a 3rd in the Champion Bumper behind Envoi Allen, a close 4th (beaten only 1 ½ lengths) behind Monkfish in the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle and a close 2nd in the Stayers’ Hurdle last year behind Flooring Porter.

Thyme Hill won easily on his chasing debut at Exeter on his reappearance in November before disappointing behind McFabulous at Newbury when jumping poorly in a Grade 2 contest. He was fitted with first time cheekpieces last time for the Kauto Star Novices Chase at Kempton and he jumped superbly and was an impressive winner by 15 lengths on the soft ground. The ground should be perfect for him and if the cheekpieces have improved his jumping then I feel he is overpriced with four places on offer.

Charles Byrnes is always respected in these festival handicaps as shown by the neck 2nd achieved by Byker yesterday in the Boodles and I think RUN FOR OSCAR (best priced at 8/1) is a solid each way bet in the Coral Cup this year. The eight-year-old was an impressive 3 ¼ length winner of the Cesarewitch Handicap at Newmarket in October where he has given an official mark of 101 on the flat.

Run For Oscar has been eyecatching in his two runs over hurdles since where he has finished 3rd at both Haydock and Punchestown making sure he didn’t finish too close to the winner. He comes here off a mark of 147 which is only 2lbs higher than his Irish mark and I expect him to run well with up to eight places on offer.

This looks a weak 0-95 handicap and preference goes to the John Ryan trained FIRST EMPEROR (best priced at 15/8) who is proven over this course and distance. The four-year-old won at Lingfield over 2 miles off a mark of 72 in January before following up 4 days later over this course and distance under a 5lb penalty.

First Emperor has run well on his next two starts when finishing 2nd and 3rd at Newcastle and Kempton and he should hold strong claims once again over this course and distance. Connections have booked star 5lb claimer Billy Loughnane for the ride and I expect him to prove hard to beat. 

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