Monday Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

The 6lb rise for Crack The Kode’s recent Catterick success seems harsh so preference instead goes to Lady Ava (best priced at 7/2) on her handicap debut. The Ed Dunlop trained filly ran well to finish 3rd at Windsor on her debut before slightly disappointing at Chelmsford on her next start. She bounced back to form with a 2nd placed effort at Brighton last time and has had a 69 day break since. 

Lady Ava now makes her handicap debut off a mark of 65 and is fitted with first time cheekpieces for this race. William Buick takes over on board which is a positive and I expect her to prove hard to beat off top weight. 

This looks to be between recent winners Local Bay and Uncle Dick (best priced at 2/1) with preference going to the latter who is a dual course and distance winner. The Eve Johnson Houghton trained five-year-old has won his two starts over this course and distance this season off marks of 57 and 59 with his most recent victory coming a week ago in an apprentice race. 

Uncle Dick escapes a penalty for that success so runs here off the same mark as his three length course and distance success so a repeat effort should mean he is extremely hard to beat. 

The Stuart Kittow trained Notre Maison (best priced at 13/2) has shown good form at Brighton on her four starts at the venue that she should be involved in the finish once again. She has form figures of 11322 since the application of cheekpieces with her defeats only coming by margins of 1½ lengths, a neck and ½ length. 

The handicapper has only raised Notre Maison 1lb for her recent 2nd placed effort which is fair and will be interesting to see how she takes to first time blinkers in this race. Bookmakers are offering up to four places on this race and she should be involved in the finish once again.