Steve Ryder's two best bets for Friday come at Cheltenham and Southwell.
1:50 Cheltenham
Tip 1: The Short Go - 0.5pt Each-Way
Although L’Homme Presse has a good record fresh in his career, this will take a huge performance to win after a 300 day break. Preference instead goes to THE SHORT GO (best priced at 11/2) who once again makes the trip over from Ireland for Henry De Bromhead. On the face of it, the stable are in poor form operating at a 3% strike in the past fortnight but he his latest runners have form figures of 224053341 so they have been running much better.
The Short Go has good form at Cheltenham with a 2nd off a mark of 126, a 5th in the Ultima Handicap Chase off a mark of 132 and a 4th placed finish last time off a mark of 132 last time. The form of his latest effort has been boosted by the winner Three Card Brag and the third Hoe Joly Smoke and he should run well once again.
247bet
7:00 Southwell
Tip 1: Rogue Identity - 0.5pt Each-Way
ROGUE IDENTITY (best priced at 8/1) caught the eye when a well backed 3rd on his stable debut for James Owen and he looks the one to beat off a 1lb lower mark. The three-year-old was sent off only 3/1 for his debut when 4th at Southwell before disappointing on his next two starts for Peter Chapple-Hyam.
Well backed into 18/5 on his handicap debut, Rogue Identity finished 3rd beaten three lengths at the finish off a mark of 60. He has been dropped 1lb by the handicapper and looks as if this drop to 7f will suit based on how he travelled into the race last time.
