Steve Ryder has picked out two horse racing tips for Saturday’s horse racing and lined up another selection for tomorrow’s card at the Curragh.
14:40 Haydock
The Richard Hughes stable remain in good form currently and KNEBWORTH (best priced at 11/2) should relish this return to Haydock. The four-year-old has form figures of 122 at the track including when 2nd off a mark of 85 in this race last season on heavy ground. He returned from a 107 day break to finish 2nd here beaten only 1 ½ lengths off a mark of 87 before finishing 3rd last time at Doncaster on soft ground.
With no question marks around the track or the ground, Knebworth rates a confident each way selection in this race with up to four places available.
19:00 Chelmsford
HAPPY TEARS (best priced at 5/1) got off the mark for new connections over this course and distance a month ago and she should hold strong claims off only a 2lb higher mark. The Daniel & Claire Kubler trained filly had previously run well over 5f here on her handicap debut when 3rd beaten only 1 ¼ lengths off a mark of 72 before placing at both Windsor and Leicester on turf.
Happy Tears was bought for 20,000gns following that run and transferred from the George Boughey yard where she was slightly disappointing on her stable debut after 277 days off the track. She was well backed back at Chelmsford last time and she should hold strong claims from Stall 1 off a mark of 73.
16:25 Curragh
Runaway Galway Hurdle winner NURBURGRING (best priced at 9/1) caught the eye when finishing a never nearer 4th in the Pertingo Handicap at Leopardstown and he should hold strong claims in this off only a 1lb higher mark. The high class juvenile hurdler from last season is now rated 150 over hurdles so he should still remain incredibly well handicapped on the flat off a mark of 91 in this race.
Nurburgring was caught too far back at Leopardstown over 1m5f last time and this step up in trip to 2m1f will no doubt suit him much better at this track. It is worth remembering he beat the now 107 rated Queenstown in a maiden off level weights last season and I expect him to provide Joseph O’Brien back-to-back winners in this race.
