Steve Ryder has picked out two at Pontefract and one at Wolverhampton for his three best bets for Monday.
Tip 1: Sophia's Starlight - 1pt Win - 15:33 Pontefract
15/8 best odds and widely available at the time of publishing.
Recent form figures of 80075 are hardly inspiring for last year’s winner SOPHIA’S STARLIGHT (best priced at 15/8) but she has had excuses on her previous two starts and can win this race for a second time off a 3lb lower mark. The Grant Tuer trained mare won this race off a mark of 93 last season before finishing a close 4th off a mark of 98 on her final start last season.
Sophia’s Starlight had the blindfold off late on her penultimate start when 7th in a listed race and raced alone far side last time at Ripon when 5th so both of those runs can be upgraded and she now runs here off a mark of 90 as a result.
Tip 2: Austrian Theory - 1pt Win - 16:33 Pontefract
5/2 best odds at time of publishing with Boyles and Star Sports. 9/4 widely available.
The Tim Easterby trained AUSTRIAN THEORY (best priced at 5/2) bounced back to form last time at Ayr when outrunning odds of 33/1 and he runs here off the same mark. The six-year-old won this race last season off a mark of 79 and has finished 2nd on three occasions this season off marks of 84, 85 and 80.
Midnite
Austrian Theory has been contesting higher grade races this season with his runner-up effort last time coming in a Class 2 0-100 handicap and he now drops into a Class 4 0-85 handicap for the first time since finishing 5th behind subsequent Balmoral Handicap winner Crown Of Oaks at Ayr in July. Rated only 1lb higher than his 1 ½ length victory in this race last season, he should hold strong claims in his repeat bid.
Tip 3: Suzuka - 1pt Win - 20:00 Wolverhampton
2/1 best odds and widely available at the time of publishing.
SUZUKA (best priced at 2/1) is 0-10 in her career but has been running consistently well recently and can get off the mark off a career low rating of 60. The Roger Varian trained filly placed at both Lingfield and Kempton and was drawn widest of all when 5th of 11 at Chelmsford last time when given an aggressive ride from the front under Silvestre De Sousa.
Suzuka now drops into a 0-60 handicap for the first time but crucially is much better drawn in Stall 6 in this race. She looks likely to make all under Ray Dawson and should prove hard to beat.
