Monday Horse Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

TORTURED SOUL (best priced at 5/2) has won both of his starts since joining the Tony Carroll stable from Ger Lyons and he can hopefully make it 3/3 on the AW. The four-year-old had a record of 0-7 in Ireland but won on his stable debut at Southwell by a head off a mark of 49 over 1m3f. He followed up that success at Wolverhampton last time off a 2lb higher mark by 1 ¼ lengths and the handicapper has raised him 3lbs for that success.

Tom Marquand takes over board for the first time in this race and he is expected to remain unbeaten for these connections.

The Gavin Cromwell trained LA MALMASON (best priced at 11/8) won on her handicap debut over fences at Cheltenham and she should hold strong claims off a 6lb higher mark. The six-year-old ran well to finish 3rd behind Found A Fifty and Colonel Mustard at Down Royal in a beginners chase in November before winning at Cheltenham off a mark of 126.

A winning margin of ¾ length doesn’t do La Malmason justice for how dominant she was during the race and it is that reason that a 6lb rise to a mark of 132 seems fair. She faces the recent course and distance winner Kates Hill but looks a lot more progressive than that rival and she should prove hard to beat.

Both Romanee and Silver Trumpet are interesting handicap debutants but they may struggle to concede weight to the Ed Bethell trained BERRYGATE (best priced at 11/8). The three-year-old has shown improvement in each of his four career starts including when 2nd by a neck at Southwell on her handicap debut last time.

Berrygate stayed on well over 7f that day and a repeat effort at this track off the same mark should be enough for her to get off the mark at the fifth attempt.