Saturday Horse Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

There are lots of horses with differing profiles coming into the Scottish Champion Hurdle this year but preference goes to the unexposed novice FAVOUR AND FORTUNE (best priced at 5/1). The Alan King trained six-year-old won two bumpers before finishing midfield in the Champion Bumper later that season. He won two weak hurdle races on his first two starts this season before finishing 2nd behind Jango Baie in the Grade 1 Formby Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree who has since boosted that form. 

Favour And Fortune was unsuited by the three runner race at Exeter when 2nd behind Fun Fun Fun before finishing an eyecatching sixth in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle despite making a couple of jumping mistakes. He makes his handicap debut off a mark of 138 and he looks worth taking a chance on at the prices. 

BALHAMBAR (best priced at 15/8) was rated 83 when last seen on the flat for Sir Michael Stoute so he still looks well handicapped off a mark of 106 over hurdles. The five-year-old disappointed on his four starts for Michael Bell with two of those coming over hurdles before finishing 3rd in a Huntingdon maiden hurdle on his stable debut for Harry Derham.

Balhambar won on his handicap debut at Ludlow last time off an opening mark of 100 and the handicapper has been lenient only raising him 6lbs for a comfortable 3 ¾ length victory. That win came in a first time tongue tie and he should prove hard to beat in his bid to make it 2/2 in handicap hurdles. 

Anglers Crag and Inish Oirr are respected in this race but preference instead goes to GIT MAKER (best priced at 11/2) who bids to go one better than at the Cheltenham festival last time. The Jamie Snowden trained eight-year-old won on his reappearance at Lingfield before slightly disappointing on good ground at Ascot in December. He finished 2nd in the Kim Muir Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival behind subsequent Grade 1 winner Inothewayurthinkin but was 18 lengths clear of the third that day. 

The handicapper has only raised Git Maker 1lb for that run which seems lenient and this step up in trip to 4 miles for the first time should suit him well. Bookmakers are offering up to seven places on the race and he should be involved in the finish.