Friday Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

Shelikesthelights is respected under a 7lb penalty but preference goes to the four-year-old Afadil (best priced at 10/3) in receipt of a handy weight-for-age allowance. The Paul Nicholls trained gelding won his first two UK starts at Taunton and Musselburgh before finishing a close 8th (beaten 5 ½ lengths) in the Boodles Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival off a mark of 123.

Afadil then finished 2nd to stablemate Blueking D’Oroux in a handicap hurdle at Ascot on his next start off a mark of 121 and the winner has since boosted that form with a 2nd placed finish at Aintree off a 7lb higher mark (been raised another 4lbs since). Afadil runs here off only a 1lb higher mark which seems lenient and he should hold strong claims.

This looks a competitive 0-95 handicap but preference goes to the Rod Millman trained Crazy Luck (best priced at 12/1) who is 2/2 at this course. The five-year-old mare won over this course and distance in July 2021 off a mark of 74 under Oisin Murphy before winning again a year later off a mark of 81.

Crazy Luck went on to win at Chester off a mark of 83 and she has gradually dropped back down the handicap to a mark of 82 for this race. Oisin Murphy is back on board for the first time since their victory together in 2021 and she should run well with up to six places on offer.

The Anthony Honeyball trained Dear Ralphy (best priced at 5/2) was unlucky to fall at the second last 11 days ago and he should hold strong claims off the same mark. The seven-year-old was dropping down to Class 5 company for the first time off a mark of 82 and he was going best of all when falling when four lengths clear at the second last fence at Plumpton earlier this month.

The handicapper has raised Dear Ralphy 4lbs for that effort but he instead runs here off his previous mark of 82 meaning that he is 4lbs “well in” at the weights. Royal Lake, who won at the course earlier this month, looks the biggest danger but I expect Dear Ralphy to win with a clear round.