Saturday Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

The Clive Cox trained Tis Marvellous (best priced at 15/2) has a fantastic record at Ascot with four wins and seven top 4 finishes in his career and he is now back down to a winnable handicap mark. The nine-year-old won this race in 2018 off a mark of 100 before winning it again in 2021 off a mark of 102 and he runs in it this year off a mark of 102 once again. He won the listed Beverley Bullet Sprint Stakes last season when rated 109 but following two below par efforts so far this season he has dropped down to a rating of 102.

Tis Marvellous was still in contention in the Wokingham Handicap at Royal Ascot last time but faded late on over 6f shaping like this drop in trip to 5f is exactly what he needs. He is partnered by Luke Morris in this competition which is a positive and he can hopefully win this race for a third time.

Last year’s winner Pride Of Priory is respected off the same mark but preference instead goes to La Yakel (best priced at 15/8) who is only 3lbs higher than his near miss over this course and distance last time. The William Haggas trained four-year-old was returning from a 281 day break when he finished 2nd by a neck off a mark of 92 a month ago. He had previously won over this course and distance in September off a mark of 87before finishing 4th in the Old Rowley Cup at Newmarket on his final start last season.

La Yakel is expected to improve from his latest run fitness wise and I expect him to prove hard to beat and provide Joao Moreira with a fourth victory at the Shergar Cup.

This looks a competitive 0-75 handicap but preference goes to Pearl Eye (best priced at 6/1) who is 2/2 at Haydock in his career. The Darryll Holland trained three-year-old has been running consistently well since switching to handicaps with form figures of 1341321 including two successes over this course and distance.

Pearl Eye put in a career best performance in first time cheekpieces last time to win comfortably by ¾ length off a mark of 74 which the handicapper has only raised him 3lbs for. John Egan retains the ride on the colt and I expect him to once again run well in the same grade. 

This looks to be between Humanity and Wonderwall (best priced at 9/4) with preference going to the latter with the benefit of race fitness. The Richard Spencer trained seven-year-old has run well on both of his starts on the flat staying on well over 1m2f to finish 2nd on both occasions. This step up in trip to 1m4f is exactly what this 2m5f winning hurdler wants and he faces a rival who is making his first start for 274 days having had a wind operation.

Wonderwall has to concede weight to the three-year-olds but he should relish this step up in trip and I expect him to prove hard to beat.