Friday Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

There was a huge amount of hype surrounding ASADNA (best priced at 11/8) prior to his Royal Ascot run and he should be able to bounce back in this weaker race. The son of Mehmas was an impressive 12 length winner of a 6f Ripon novice race in May under William Buick which was a hugely eyecatching run both visually and on the clock.

There were doubts around Asadna’s participation in the Coventry Stakes a couple of days before the race and this may have been the reason that he could only finish 9th at the finish behind River Tiber. He has since left George Boughey and joined Alice Haynes but he crucially now drops down to listed level and he is expected to get back on track under Oisin Murphy.

There are some interesting handicap debutants in this race but I am hoping that first time cheekpieces mean that the consistent VEGAS JACK (best priced at 17/2) can get off the mark in this race. The Adam West trained three-year-old has form figures of 332 in handicaps at Haydock, Goodwood and Salisbury including a neck 2nd last month off a mark of 68.

The handicapper has raised Vegas Jack 1lb back up to a mark of 69 which is fair and hopefully first time cheekpieces mean that he can get his head in front for the first time in his career. Bookmakers are offering up to six places on this race and I will be surprised if he isn’t involved in the finish once again.

This looks a competitive 0-90 handicap but preference goes to SOPHIA'S STARLIGHT (best priced at 7/2) who bids to complete a hat-trick under a 6lb penalty. The Grant Tuer trained three-year-old has form figures of 131311 so far this season with wins at Wolverhampton, Wetherby, Carlisle and over this course and distance. Her win over Just Janet here on her penultimate start has been boosted by the winner at Catterick since and she comes into this race following an impressive 3 ¼ length victory at Carlisle last time off a mark of 80.

Sophia’s Starlight runs here under a 6lb penalty rather than her new mark of 87 meaning that she is 1lb “well in” at the weights and I expect her to prove hard to beat under Oli Stammers who is 4/5 on the filly.