Saturday Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

This looks a competitive 0-145 handicap chase but preference goes to the top weight Brave Seasca (best priced at 5/1). The Venetia Williams trained eight-year-old won this race last season off a mark of 146 by an eased down 1 ¾ lengths and he runs in the race this year off a 1lb lower mark. 

Brave Seasca has disappointed on his subsequent four starts but was well backed last time on his reappearance when outpaced over 2m1f in the Haldon Gold Cup. He runs here off a 3lb lower mark and will be suited by the step back in trip to 2m4f. He has proven form on soft ground and should run well back at Aintree.

The Paul Nicholls trained Iceo (best priced at 5/1) was attempting to give over a stone of weight to the favourite JPR One when they met at Newton Abbot and the selection should be able to reverse that form off level weights.

The five-year-old won the Imperial Cup on heavy ground here last season by 3 ¾ lengths and the form of that run has been boosted with Knickerbockerglory winning on his reappearance at Ascot.
Iceo made an impressive chasing debut winning by 12 lengths before being beaten at odds on by JPR One last time. This return to Sandown will suit him well and he should run well under these testing conditions. 

Solray is respected on only his second start in handicaps but preference goes to fellow three-year-old Secret Guest (best priced at 11/2) who has run well over this course and distance on his previous two starts. The Bryan Smart trained gelding ended the turf season with a win at Redcar off a mark of 80 before finishing 4th beaten only 1 ¼ lengths off a mark of 83.

Secret Guest finished 2nd by ½ length off a mark of 83 last time over this course and distance and he should hold strong claims off only 1lb higher with up to five places available. 

The only three-year-old in the field Vaguely Royal best priced at 10/11) won on his first start on the AW last time and he should hold strong claims off only a 3lb higher mark. The gelding won by ¾ length at the finish but that was despite racing keenly in the early stages over 1m4f at Newcastle last time. 
The well-bred son of Galileo should be suited by this switch to Wolverhampton and I will be disappointed if he didn’t make it 2/2 on the AW.