Steve Ryder has three horse racing tips for Saturday's racing at Ascot.
13:30 Ascot
Ben Jones has opted to ride the less exposed Leader In Park over BAD (best priced at 13/2) but the return to Ascot should really suit the latter. It has been 18 months since the Ben Pauling trained five-year-old was sent off 5/1 for his stable debut at the Cheltenham festival off a mark of 126 and he now makes his chasing debut off a mark of 123 in this race.
Bad finished 3rd here on his reappearance last season before finishing 2nd beaten only ¾ length in the Gerry Feilden handicap hurdle off a mark of 120. He returned from a 57 day break to finish a head 2nd over this intermediate trip here off a mark of 122 before finishing down the field on his final two starts last season at Sandown. Returned to Ascot, he looks interesting at the prices under Kielan Woods.
14:05 Ascot
The top weight MASTER CHEWY (best priced at 3/1) pushes a couple of his rivals out of the handicap in this race and he can be another Nigel Twiston-Davies horse to win on his reappearance. The seven-year-old won the Grade 2 Wayward Lad Novices’ Chase at Kempton last season before falling when still in contention at the second last in the Arkle at the Cheltenham festival.
Master Chewy then went on to finish a head 2nd behind Found A Fifty at Aintree in the Grade 1 Maghull Novices’ Chase and is deserving of his rating of 154. He was a 12 length winner on his reappearance so his form fresh is no concern and he can defy top weight under Tom Bellamy.
The Tom Lacey trained HIGHSTAKESPLAYER (best priced at 5/1) proved a revelation last season over fences winning four out of his five starts with his only disappointing effort coming on heavy ground on a left-handed track. The eight-year-old progressed from a mark of 114 to 130 when a cosy ½ length winner at Kempton in April and a 5lb rise from the handicapper underestimates his dominance in that race.
Ascot on good ground should prove no issue for Highstakesplayer and he looks sure to be involved in this race with four places available before no doubt contesting similar races for the remainder of the season.
