Friday Horse Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

PALACE BOY (best priced at 9/4) has been well backed overnight but should prove hard to beat if in the same form of his course and distance success 23 days ago. The seven-year-old won on his hurdling debut for Fergal O’Brien last season before finishing down the field in his next three starts behind the likes of Luccia and Marine Nationale when sent off 40/1 and 200/1.

Palace Boy was then transferred to Ralph Smith who immediately switched him back to the flat (had previously won his final start in Germany on the flat) where he was well backed into 9/2 over this course and distance. He won easily that day by six lengths under George Rooke and the pair should prove hard to beat despite running here off a 10lb higher mark.

The consistent veteran Fieldsman should run well once again but he should struggle off level weights against OUTREACH (best priced at 3/1). The Mark Usher trained four-year-old has shown his best form over this course and distance with form figures of 245221 in his career. He finished 2nd off a mark of 50 here in December before getting off the mark at the thirteenth attempt on Boxing Day when winning by ¾ length under George Bass.

The handicapper has raised Outreach 2lbs up to a mark of 52 which is fair and he should run well once again from Stall 2.

This looks a competitive 0-75 handicap but preference goes to NOT TOO REAL BAD (best priced at 6/1) who runs here from 3lbs “well in” at the weights. The Mick Appleby trained four-year-old had previously shown good AW form at Dundalk for Tom Mullins off higher marks before slightly disappointing on his first three starts for new connections in the UK.

Not Too Real Bad then showed improved form in first time cheekpieces at Southwell last time when 2nd off a mark of 62 earlier this month. He now runs here off a mark of 59 meaning he is 3lbs “well in” at the weights and he should run well with those cheekpieces retained.