Sunday Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

I am shocked at the price of the top weight DOVLATOR (best priced at 33/1) based on his runs in maiden/novice hurdles last season. The Dermot McLoughlin trained seven-year-old won a maiden hurdle at Down Royal in June 2022 by 3 ¾ lengths before finishing a close 2nd behind Salvador Ziggy at Roscommon on his next start. He was only beaten 1 ¼ lengths that day and that rival has since boosted that form by winning his next two starts before finishing 2nd in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival off a mark of 147.

Following that run, Dovlator finished 2nd behind the 135 rated Landrake over this course and distance before disappointing on his handicap debut last time off an opening mark of 123. Connections fitted him with first time cheekpieces that day but he ran no sort of race but was a very disappointing 17/2 shot. He remains extremely well handicapped based on his novice form off a mark of 123 and he looks wildly overpriced with up to six places available.

The Henry De Bromhead trained MAGICAL ZOE (best priced at 7/2) may have won the Mares’ Novice Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival under a more positive ride and she should prove hard to beat in this race now upped in trip. The five-year-old was an impressive 6 ½ length winner of a Cork bumper before winning easily on her hurdling debut at Wexford. She outran odds of 18/1 to remain unbeaten in a Grade 3 Mares Novice Hurdle at Down Royal before finishing 2nd at the Cheltenham Festival.

Magical Zoe was held up in rear that day but raced wide covering a huge amount of ground before staying on well at the finish to take 2nd late on despite being hampered at the final hurdle. She should be suited by this step up in trip to 2m4f for the first time and I prefer her chances over Ashroe Diamond who was forced to miss the Cheltenham Festival.

Melon won this race for Willie Mullins last season and I expect BACHASSON (best price 11/10) to continue his impressive recent form of six victories in a row. The twelve-year-old has a fantastic record over fences with seven wins from ten runs over the larger obstacles and the veteran returned from 749 days off the track to win at Clonmel last month.

Bachasson won easily by seven lengths that day staying on well over 2m4f. He is yet to run over 3 miles but that shouldn’t prove a problem which is the opposite of regressive stablemate Chacun Pour Soi who has been bitterly disappointing over 2m4f on his previous two starts. The main danger appears to be Feronily for Emmet Mullins but this is his chasing debut and I expect Bachasson to continue his winning sequence.