Monday Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

This looks a competitive 0-105 handicap but preference goes to SPOOF (best priced at 10/3) who has a good record at Windsor. The Kevin Frost trained eight-year-old has form figures of 265112312 at this course with his latest 2nd placed effort coming by a neck in July. Since then he has won by a short head at Hamilton, finished 2nd at Haydock by ½ length and won at Nottingham on heavy ground last time off a mark of 90.

The handicapper has raised Spoof 3lbs for that victory which is fair and with him proven on heavy ground and over this course and distance, he should prove hard to beat.

The Clare Hobson trained EMBOLDEN (best priced at 7/2) has run consistently well on his previous two starts and he should appreciate the return to Plumpton. The six-year-old has finished 3rd on his previous two starts coming at Worcester and Uttoxeter off marks of 92 and 90 and he runs here again off a mark of 90 in this race.

That is 3lbs lower than when Embolden won over 2m1½f here on soft ground in April on his only visit to this course. We know the return to soft ground here suits him well and he should prove hard to beat with King Otis looking the biggest danger on his stable debut for James Owen.

The ground is a question mark for many of these but that is not the case for ASTRONOMICA (best priced at 13/2) who has won both of her starts on soft ground. The Jon Scargill trained filly defied odds of 12/1 to win over this course and distance on soft ground in May before finishing 2nd at Leicester back on good ground.

Astronomica won impressively by two lengths on her next start Leicester on soft ground before placing at both Newmarket and Leicester on good and good to soft ground. This return to a softer surface will suit and she should run well again off a mark of 60 with up to five places available.