Thursday Horse Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

The Stuart Kittow trained SPICED RUM (best priced at EVENS) makes her handicap debut in this race and should prove hard to beat with her Kempton run working out well. The four-year-old won in October on the flat off a mark of 60 by 15 lengths on heavy ground before finishing 2nd on her hurdling debut at Fontwell in December.

Spiced Rum then finished 4th behind Sir Gino at Kempton at Christmas but even ignoring the winner for the purpose of form, the 2nd and 3rd have boosted the form since. The second Royal Way (6 ½ lengths ahead) won by 17 lengths on his next start at Ludlow and is now rated 111 and the third Torneo (1 ½ lengths ahead) won by 26 lengths on his next start and is now rated 109. Spiced Rum makes her handicap debut off a mark of 97 and should prove extremely difficult to beat.

This looks a weak 0-95 novices’ handicap hurdle and it would be a surprise if MUMBLES (best priced at 5/4) cannot follow up his Chepstow win. The Evan Williams trained six-year-old has shown improvement in handicaps on heavy ground including on his penultimate start when 2nd over 2m4f here in November. 
Mumbles returned from a 73 day break to win comfortably by 16 lengths at Chepstow a week ago and the handicapper has raised him 11lb for that success. He instead runs here under a 7lb penalty making him 4lbs “well in” at the weights and he should prove hard to beat if coping with this drop back to 2 miles. 
 

Inspiritus is respected following his winning handicap debut last time but preference instead goes to the improving CAVALLUCCIO (best priced at 5/1) who is showing his best form at this track. The Alice Haynes trained five-year-old has form figures of 1316212 over this course and distance in his career with his previous three starts all coming since being fitted with blinkers.

Cavalluccio was an impressive 4 ¼ length winner on his penultimate start off a mark of 68 before finishing 2nd by ½ length 10 days ago off a mark of 73. The handicapper has raised him 2lbs for that effort but he runs here off the same mark and should prove hard to beat under regular rider Kieran O’Neill.