Friday Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

Baradar will no doubt prove popular following his victory in the Moet & Chandon International Stakes at Ascot last time but whether the cheekpieces work for a second time remains a question mark and preference instead goes to Persuasion (best priced at 9/2). The David & Nicola Barron trained six-year-old was an impressive 2 ½  length winner at Thirsk on his penultimate start off a mark of 84 before finishing 2nd at Haydock a week ago.

Persuasion had to wait for a gap 2f out and conceded first run to the winner Street Kid that day but only failed by a head at the finish. He runs here 1lb “well in” at the weights in this race and should prove hard to beat with Ryan Moore taking over on board.

The Clive Cox trained Succession (best priced at 3/1) finished a close 2nd at Wolverhampton on his handicap debut and he should prove hard to beat off the same mark. The son of Showcasing finished 4th on his debut at Newbury before getting off the mark at Bath by a length on his next start. He slightly disappointed over the same course and distance under a penalty next time but bounced back to form last time following a 104 day break to finish 2nd by a length on his handicap debut.

Succession pulled 2¼ lengths clear of the third that day and the handicapper has raised him 4lbs up to a mark of 83. He instead runs here again off a mark of 79 meaning that he is 4lbs “well in” at the weights and he should prove hard to beat under Rossa Ryan. 

This looks to be between Strong Impact and Finest Leader (best priced at 2/1) with preference going to the latter who is 4lbs “well in” at the weights. The Harry & Roger Charlton trained three-year-old has recent form figures of 1112 with his three victories all coming in cheekpieces on turf. He progressed from a mark of 68 up to a mark of 82 when he finished a short head second at Kempton without cheekpieces.

Interestingly, Finest Leader runs here again without cheekpieces but thankfully he runs here off the same mark of 82 rather than his revised mark of 86. That means he is 4lbs “well in” at the weights and he should prove hard to beat under Trevor Whelan, who rode him on his first three starts, back on turf.