Thursday Horse Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

The David Pipe trained LADY BALKO (best priced at EVENS) bids to win her fourth race in a row and she should prove hard to beat off top weight under a 7lb penalty. The progressive five-year-old won by 19 lengths at Hereford before following up by 2 ¾ lengths at Taunton when upped in trip to 3 miles for the first time. 

Lady Balko won last time by 8 ½ lengths at Taunton off a mark of 100 and the handicapper has raised her 12lbs for that victory. She instead runs here under a 7lb penalty so she is 5lbs “well in” at the weights and she should prove hard to beat back down in trip. 

Both Leading Swoop and Puddlesinthepark come into this race in consistent form but preference instead goes to the hat-trick seeking TWILIGHT GLORY (best priced at 15/8). The Tim Vaughan trained eight-year-old defied odds of 18/1 to beat Haston Clermont by a nose over this course and distance on his penultimate start and that rival boosted the form by winning off a 4lb higher mark next time and is now rated 10lbs higher. 

Twilight Glory then followed up here over 3m2f last time by 4 ¼ lengths off a mark of 86 and he should prove hard to beat off a 7lb higher mark. 

Rocklyn is respected on her handicap debut but preference instead goes to MEDICI PASS (best priced at 13/8) who was an impressive winner on her stable debut last time. The four-year-old was 0/8 in Ireland and failed to beat a rival home on her final start before joining Iain Jardine rated 54. She won easily at Newcastle over 7f by four lengths under Paul Mulrennan and he retains the ride.

The handicapper has raised Medici Pass 9lbs for that comfortable success but she instead runs here under a 5lb penalty meaning she is 4lbs “well in” at the weights and she should prove hard to beat if coping with this step up in trip to a mile from Stall 10.

The Tony Coyle & Kaine Wood trained URBAN DANDY (best priced at 11/4) was an incredibly unlucky loser over this course and distance last time and he should prove hard to beat off the same mark. The four-year-old won over 6f here a year ago off a mark of 52 before finishing a close 3rd here over 6f in January off a mark of 54. 

Urban Dandy was beaten over four lengths in his two most recent runs at Newcastle but bounced back to form when 2nd by a short head over this course and distance 11 days ago off a mark of 54. He was hampered just over 1f out that day and with a clear run would have won that day. He runs here off the same mark from 1lb “well in” at the weights and should prove hard to beat with a clearer passage.