Thursday Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

The Danny Brooke trained DREAM DEAL (best priced at 11/2) bounced back to form last time in first time cheekpieces and he should prove hard to beat off the same mark in this race. The four-year-old finished a close 2nd on his only previous start at the track last season off a mark of 62 so he looks well handicapped off a mark of 55.

Connections fitted Dream Deal with first time cheekpieces and a first time tongue tie last time at Pontefract when he was only beaten ½ length at the finish. The handicapper has raised him 3lbs for that effort but he instead gets to run here off his previous mark of 55 meaning that he is 3lbs “well in” at the weights. A repeat of that performance should be good enough to win this and it is whether the headgear is effective for a second time.

This looks a competitive 0-105 handicap but I am willing to take a chance on the outsider of the field DARK THIRTY (best priced at 33/1) on his return to the July course. The Richard Hannon trained three-year-old defied odds of 14/1 to make a winning debut at Newbury before finishing 5th in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot on his next start. He finished a close 3rd in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes at this course on his next start before slightly disappointing on his next three starts.

Dark Thirty bounced back to form at Newmarket to finish 2nd on the Rowley Mile off a mark of 89 before winning at York by a neck off a mark off the same mark. He finished well beaten at Royal Ascot in the Britannia Handicap off a mark of 92 but should be suited by this return to Newmarket off a 1lb lower mark with up to six places available.  

The Tom McCourt trained RAMPAGE (best priced at 9/1) has been running consistently well on his most recent three starts since the application of a tongue tie and he looks sure to run well back over this course and distance. The four-year-old finished 3rd beaten only ¼ length in June off a mark of 53 before finishing 3rd again over the same course and distance a week later off the same mark.

Rampage finished a neck 2nd last time at Bellewstown when fitted with first time cheekpieces a week ago off a mark of 53 and he gets to run here off the same mark. The handicapper has rasied him 3lbs for that run meaning he is 3lbs “well in” at the weights and he should run well with six places on offer.