Monday Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

This looks a competitive 0-110 handicap but preference goes to SCRUM DIDLLY (best priced at 9/4) who should hold strong claims under a 7lb penalty. The Oliver Sherwood trained five-year-old had finished well beaten on his first three starts over hurdles but showed huge improvement when winning on handicap debut last time at Ludlow by fifteen lengths.

Scrum Diddly was upped in trip to three miles for the first time that day and also fitted with first time cheekpieces so he is expected to run to the same form under the same conditions today. He will no doubt get more than a 7lb rise so it looks a good move to run him under a 7lb penalty and I expect him to prove hard to beat.

The John Flint trained AMATEUR (best priced at 9/4) is a two-time West Wales National winner and he should hold strong claims once again over this course and distance. The ten-year-old won this race in 2021 off a mark of 117 before following up in 2022 off a mark of 122. He could only finish 3rd off a mark of 122 this year but was only beaten 4 ¼ lengths at the finish and he now drops from a Class 3 0-135 handicap into a Class 4 0-120 handicap.

Amateur’s rivals are all badly out of form with form figures of 7P95PP between them and that should mean that he should prove hard to beat off a mark of 122.

The Ralph Beckett trained GALILAEUS (best priced at EVENS) justified strong market support last time to win on his second start in a handicap. The Galileo gelding benefitted from a step up in trip to 1m3½f on good ground and he was also fitted with first time blinkers following a below par effort on handicap debut on soft ground.

Galilaeus and Damascus Steel pulled 17 lengths clear of the third last time at Bath so it looks strong form and he will no doubt be given more than a 6lb rise. He steps up in trip again to 1m6f this time and he is expected to defy a 6lb penalty in this race.