Monday Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

This looks a competitive 0-115 handicap hurdle but preference goes to the Ruth Jefferson trained HASHTAG BOUM (best priced at 7/1) who has been running consistently well in 2023. The six-year-old was disappointing on her hurdling debut at Catterick but outran odds of 33/1 to finish 2nd on her next start at Wetherby. She finished 3rd on her next start at Newcastle where she was given an opening handicap mark of 104.

Hashtag Boum was staying on extremely well over 2m4f on her handicap debut where she finished a head 2nd and this previous PTP winner will no doubt be suited by this step up in trip to 2m6½f. The handicapper has left her on this mark of 104 and she should run well with four places on offer.

There are a few interesting handicap debutants in this race but preference goes to GLORIOUS LION (best priced at 5/2) who looks open to the most amount of improvement. The James Ferguson trained three-year-old ran with credit on his first two starts as a juvenile in 2022 before putting in an eyecatching run at Newcastle in February. He travelled well over 7f that day but weakened late on in the race to finish 5th beaten 2 ¾ lengths.

Since that run Glorious Lion has been gelded and is now fitted with first time cheekpieces on his handicap debut as well as being upped in trip to 1m2f for the first time. A combination of those four factors should mean that he shows improvement in this race and I expect him to prove hard to beat.

The Kevin Ryan trained MERSEYSIDE (best priced at 25/1) could prove extremely well handicapped off a mark of 76 if a wind operation means he recaptures some of his form in France last year. The four-year-old finished 2nd in two French handicaps in April 2022 before winning under Mikael Barzalona at Longchamp in May by a head on soft ground. He disappointed on his next start at Saint-Cloud before being transferred from Henri-Francois Devin to Kevin Ryan last year.

Merseyside was beaten a long way on his stable debut at Southwell in October but he has had a wind operation since and he should also be suited by the return to turf. We know he handles soft ground from his form in France and also his breeding and he looks overpriced with up to five places available.