Thursday Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

This looks a weak 0-60 handicap and a chance is taken on FEN TIGER (best priced at 12/1) who is 2/2 over this course and distance in his career. The Julia Feilden trained five-year-old has only won three times in his career from 25 starts but two of those have come over this course and distance off marks of 47 and 54 with his latest victory coming by 2 ¼ lengths in October.

Fen Tiger has disappointed on his four starts so far this season but as a result has dropped back down to a mark of 55 which is only 1lb higher than his last winning mark and hopefully this return to Leicester means he can make it 3/3 over this course and distance. 

Rivas Rob Roy is respected in his bid for a four-timer but preference instead goes to last year’s winner NEW HEIGHTS (best priced at 11/2) who can hopefully benefit from the application of first time cheekpieces. The Jonny Portman trained five-year-old won this race last season under Tyler Saunders off a mark of 69 on his only start at this track and he followed up that victory with a success at Sandown off a mark of 73. 

New Heights has run consistently well on his starts since without winning including 2nd placed finishes at Goodwood and Salisbury off marks of 78 and 71 so he looks well handicapped off a mark of 72. He was only beaten ½ length off a 1lb lower mark on his penultimate start and hopefully first time cheekpieces mean that he can run well with up to four places available. 

SPRITZIN (best priced at 2/1) looked another Sir Mark Prescott handicap debutant winner earlier this month at Pontefract but she just failed to hold off the challenge of the favourite Carrigillihy by a neck. The three-year-old daughter of Sea The Stars cost 265,000gns as a yearling before finishing well beaten on her first three career starts over a mile when sent off 20/1, 25/1 and 100/1.

As is often the case with horses from this yard, she showed drastic improvement on her handicap/seasonal debut when upped in trip from a mile to 1m4f where the pair pulled 2 ¼ lengths clear of the third. It is also worth noting that the winner was having his 32nd start under rules at the age of five rather than Spritzin’ who was only making her fourth career start at the age of three. The handicapper has raised her 4lbs for that run but she is instead runs here off her previous mark of 68 meaning she is 4lbs “well in” for this race and I expect her to prove hard to beat if handling the track.