Thursday Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

This looks a competitive 0-75 handicap but preference goes to IMPELLER (best priced at 5/1) who was been running consistently well the previous month. The Tim Easterby trained five-year-old outran odds of 40/1 to finish a neck 2nd at Pontefract off a mark of 63 in early July before winning at Carlisle 10 days later off the same mark.

Impeller finished 2nd by ½ length at Doncaster on soft ground a week ago off a mark of 67 and he gets to run here off the same mark. That means he is 3lbs “well in” at the weights and he looks a solid each way selection in this race.

This 0-100 handicap chase is full of horses struggling for recent form but that isn’t the case for JUSTSHORTOFABUBBLE (best priced at 2/1) who ran well to finish a neck 2nd at Newton Abbot 11 days ago. The Grace Harris trained six-year-old had previously been struggling for form and had dropped down from a mark of 83 a year ago down to a mark of 72.

Justshortofabubble was sent off a well backed 3/1 favourite at Newton Abbot last month when only beaten a neck by Scrumpy Boy with the pair pulling 5 lengths clear of the third. The handicapper has raised him 4lbs up to a mark of 76 for that performance but he instead runs here off a mark of 74 meaning that he is 2lbs “well in” at the weights. Ben Jones retains the ride and I expect him to prove hard to beat in this race.

The Jack Channon trained GRAY'S INN (best priced at 5/2) is 17lbs “well in” at the weights following her 4th placed effort in a listed race a week ago and she should prove hard to beat on ground she is proven on. The daughter of Inns Of Court won a nursery at Chester on her handicap debut in July off  a mark of 70 under Thore Hammer Hansen before putting in a huge career best when 4th in a listed race at Sandown a week ago.

Gray’s Inn was only beaten 3 ¾ lengths at the finish that day on soft ground where she finished only 2 ¼ lengths behind the 101 rated Soprano. The handicapper has given her a revised rating of 90 for that effort which means she runs here 17lbs “well in” at the weights off a mark of 73 and I expect her to prove hard to beat if getting luck in running.