Saturday Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

This looks a competitive 0-150 handicap hurdle but I am going to take a chance on the top weight SAM BROWN (best priced at 14/1) on his return to the smaller obstacles. The Anthony Honeyball trained eleven-year-old ended last season with an impressive 15 length success at the Aintree festival over Shan Blue off a mark of 147 before finishing only four lengths behind Bravemansgame in the Grade 2 Charlie Hall Chase on his return.

Sam Brown has disappointed on his next two starts at Grade 2 level but now drops back into a handicap over hurdles off a mark of 147. He has shown good form previously on soft ground and he looks a big price off this mark.

This 4m2f Midlands Grand National will take some getting on soft ground but one horse who will relish this test is the Nicky Martin trained THE TWO AMIGOS (best priced at 10/1). The eleven-year-old finished a close 8th (beaten 7 ½ lengths) in this race in 2021 off a mark of 144 and runs in it this year off a mark of 132 which shows he is clearly well handicapped.

The Two Amigos was a game winner of the Welsh Grand National in December off a mark of 127 under David Pritchard and the handicapper has only raised him 5lbs for that victory. With bookmakers offering up to six places on the race, he looks sure to run well.

MONJULES (best priced at 2/1) was won two out of his three starts since joining the Harry Fry yard from the John Norton stable and he should holds strong claims in this race. The five-year-old won by six lengths on his stable debut at Sedgefield off a mark of 98 before slightly disappointing at Huntingdon on his next start.

Monjules bounced back with a victory over this course and distance last time off a mark of 104 and the form of that win has been boosted by the runner-up Sambezi winning by six lengths on his next start. He therefore looks well handicapped off only a 4lb higher mark and I expect him to prove hard to beat.