Saturday Horse Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

Stablemate Stage Star won this race last season for Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden off top weight and GINNY’S DESTINY (best priced at 7/2) should hold strong claims of repeating that success. The eight-year-old needed his reappearance run on his stable debut before making all on the old course by ten lengths off a mark of 133. He defied an 8lb rise to beat subsequent Grade 2 winner Grey Dawning on his next start by ¾ length on this course last time showing a good attitude at the finish.

The handicapper has raised Ginny’s Destiny 6lbs for that victory up to a mark of 147 which is fair and he is expected to make a bold hat-trick bid from the front.

Jonbon will no doubt prove hard to beat in this re-arranged Clarence House Chase but a chance is taken on FUGITIF (best priced at 10/1) who drops back in trip to 2 miles. The improving nine-year-old has a solid record at Cheltenham with form figures of 22241 with his best efforts all coming on the ‘new’ course that is being used today. He travelled well in first time cheekpieces on his reappearance before winning the December Gold Cup in no headgear last time beating Il Ridoto by a short head.

Richard Hobson has re-applied the cheekpieces on this drop back in trip which will suit Fugitif well and I expect him to pick up the pieces if the favourite underperforms.

Progressive chaser Young Buster is respected in his bid for a four-timer over fences but he faces a top class opponent in MONMIRAL (best priced at 3/1) in this race. The Paul Nicholls trained seven-year-old was a high class hurdler earlier in his career winning his first five career starts before finishing behind Grade 1 winners Jonbon, The Real Whacker and Gerri Colombe on his first three starts over fences.

Monmiral was well fancied for the December Gold Cup but was outpaced over 2m4f shaping like this step up in trip to 3 miles is what he needs at this time of his career. A mark of 142 over fences could seriously underestimate him as he was rated 153 less than two years ago and he is expected to win off top weight under Bryony Frost.

THE CALTONIAN (best priced at 5/4) has improved from a mark of 55 to 87 on the AW in the past three months and he can complete a four-timer of wins under Jonny Peate. The Linda Perratt trained five-year-old has proved versatile with regards to trip and track with victories coming over 5f, 6f and 7f at both Newcastle and Wolverhampton.

The Caltonian has won comfortably on his previous three runs under Jonny Peate with two of those coming over this course and distance and he is expected to defy a 7lb rise from the handicapper.