Saturday Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

The Charlie Hills trained RABAAH (best priced at 7/2) looks as though he will relish this drop to 5f for the first time and this unexposed four-year-old should prove better than a mark of 95. The well bred son of Dubawi won twice on the AW in early 2023 before finishing 5th behind Shaquille in the listed Carnarvon Stakes. The form of his fifth place finish at York on his handicap debut is working out well with the winner Quinault now rated 16lbs higher, the second Washington Heights now rated 23lbs higher and the third Mill Stream now rated 16lbs higher. 

Rabaah runs here off a 2lb lower mark so he looks well handicapped and his reappearance run at Newmarket suggested that this drop down to 5f would suit him much better.  

With soft ground a concern for Law Of The Sea, preference goes to NOTHING TO SEA (best priced at 4/1) who should prove well suited by this step up in trip to 2 miles for the first time. The lightly raced Ralph Beckett trained four-year-old won a 1m2f maiden at Newbury last season before winning over 1m6f on soft ground at Sandown on his handicap debut. 

Nothing To Sea beat Brave Knight that day by 1 ½ lengths off a mark of 91 with the pair pulling 7 ½ lengths clear of the third and the runner-up has since won at Chester and is now rated 5lbs higher. Nothing To Sea runs here off only a 6lb higher mark, has no concerns about the soft ground and should improve for this step up in trip to two miles. 

Grandlad has been well backed for his handicap debut in this race but I feel he will have to prove much better than an opening mark of 77 to beat CLOUD KING (best priced at 11/4). The Robert Cowell trained three-year-old won on his reappearance at Southwell by 3 ½ lengths under Jamie Spencer and was unlucky not to follow up at the same course a month ago when 2nd beaten only ¾ length off a mark of 73. 

Cloud King was awkward leaving the stalls that day, made headway to lead 1f out before finishing 2nd with the pair pulling 2 ¾ lengths clear of the third. He actually lost both of his front shoes that day so that effort can be upgraded and the winner that day had much more experience and was completing a hat-trick of wins this season. Cloud King runs here off a 4lb higher mark but I have no doubt he is still better than that mark and expect him to prove hard to beat in this race with Tom Marquand taking over on board. 

This looks a competitive 0-78 handicap but preference goes to ON EDGE (best priced at 10/1) who has a consistent record over at Windsor in his career. The Christopher Mason trained six-year-old has form figures of 3122 in handicaps here with his two runs this season resulting in a neck 2nd over 6f on good to firm ground and a short head 2nd over 5f on heavy ground. 

The handicapper has only raised On Edge 1lb for his close defeat last time and this trip of 6f arguably suits him better as shown by his course and distance victory last season in October. Regular rider Gina Mangan is on board once again claiming 3lbs and he should run well with four places widely available.