Tuesday Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

This looks to be a rematch between Hortzadar and VENTURA RASCAL (best priced at 9/2) from 12 days ago over this course and distance with preference going to the latter at the prices to reverse form. The Kevin Ryan trained six-year-old had so far disappointed in 2023 until bouncing back to form over this course and distance last time to finish 2nd by a length off a mark of 72 in a first time tongue tie.

Ventura Rascal outran odds of 28/1 that day and he now looks well handicapped off a mark of 73 in comparison to his previous two wins off marks of 75. The gelding gets a 2lb swing in the weights with the favourite Hortzadar and that can hopefully be enough for him to reverse the form.

The Jim Goldie trained AYR POET (best priced at 13/2) is five-time course winner here and he is now only 2lbs higher than his success here a couple of weeks ago. The eight-year-old has been in consistently good form recently with form figures of 22113213 with all three of those wins this season coming at this track.

Ayr Poet won by a head over a mile here off a mark of 66 before running well to finish 3rd beaten only ¾ length under a 4lb penalty a week ago at Hamilton. He in theory runs here off a 2lb lower mark here off his official rating of 68 and he should run well with Paul Mulrennan, who has ridden him on all three of his wins this season, back on board.

The David O’Meara trained AUTUMN FESTIVAL (best priced at 5/2) had dropped down from a mark of 91 to a mark of 82 this season before scoring at Beverley in first time cheekpieces. The four-year-old won well by 1½ lengths that day off a mark of 82 and he should hold strong claims under a 5lb penalty in this race.

Autumn Festival had previously won off a mark of 88 at Musselburgh last year so he looks well handicapped and should prove hard to beat.

This looks a weak 0-80 handicap and preference goes to COLD STARE (best priced at 2/1) who got back to winning ways over 7f here 10 days ago. The eight-year-old has been running consistently well in 2023 with form figures of 42325264321 including when only beaten ¾ lengths in the Ayr Bronze Cup off a mark of 73. He won over 7f here the next day off the same mark and is deserving of a 3lb rise from the handicapper.

Cold Stare has won previously off marks as high as 92 and 90 so he still looks well handicapped off a mark of 76 and he should prove hard to beat.