Monday Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

This looks a weak 0-60 handicap and I am willing to take a chance on the outsider of the field ROMAN BLAZE (best priced at 40/1) on his handicap debut. The Jessica Bedi trained four-year-old has had an interesting campaign so far in his career with the son of Pearl Secret starting off in a bumper for John Wainwright! Unsurprisingly, he travelled well into the 1m5f contest before weakening late on into 6th before running over 1m and 1m2f on his three starts on the flat. 

Roman Blaze is bred to be a sprinter so this drop back in trip to 6f on his handicap debut should definitely suit and I am hoping a mark of 57 will underestimate him. 

The Tim Easterby trained HIGHWAYGREY (best priced at 3/1) was unlucky not to make a winning reappearance at Haydock and this previous course and distance winner should get back to winning ways off the same mark today. The seven-year-old won over this course and distance last season off a mark of 75 by 1 ½ lengths before placing off a mark of 78 at Pontefract in September. 

Highwaygrey travelled well on his reappearance at Haydock 9 days ago but was denied a clear run 1f out before running on well to finish 3rd. He was only beaten 2 ¼ lengths that day and he should prove hard to beat in this race off the same mark.  

Despite BLUE HAWAII (best priced at 5/2) being well backed overnight for this contest, I do feel she is still worth backing for this race on her handicap debut. The Tjade Collier trained eight-year-old has been running well recently over fences including when winning at Sedgefield by 12 lengths off a mark of 107. She has only run on the flat three times but these have been over trips of around a mile where she unsurprisingly has been badly outpaced. 

Blue Hawaii now makes her handicap debut on the flat off a lowly mark of 48 but most importantly she now steps up in trip to 1m4f for this race. I expect her to win this comfortably under Dougie Costello.