Friday Horse Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

Hand Of God could prove well handicapped on his handicap debut off an opening mark of 88 but with a similar profile and at more than double the price, preference goes to ROYAL SUPREMACY (best priced at 9/2). The Andrew Balding trained three-year-old won over 7f here on his debut before finishing 4th behind Bracken’s Laugh at Newbury under a penalty. That rival has since boosted the form by winning a conditions race at Chelmsford on his reappearance and is now rated 108 and the reopposing third that day Blue Lemons finished 6th in the same race and is now rated 93.

Royal Supremacy won a mile handicap at Kempton on his final start last season off a mark of 82 but he looks the type to make a better three-year-old this season and a mark of 86 could underestimate him.  

The Harry Charlton trained OKEECHOBEE (best priced at 11/4) has been well backed for the Gordon Richards Stakes since the market opened but I do think he is the most likely winner with doubts about his rivals. The five-year-old won completed a hat-trick of wins as a three-year-old including an impressive 4 ¼ length success on his only turf start to date at Salisbury in a handicap under Ryan Moore (2/2 on the horse). 

Okeechobee returned from a 550 day break having been gelded and ran well to finish 2nd behind Dubai Honour at Kempton in the listed Magnolia Stakes off level weights where he had 20lbs to find on ratings. As long as he can back up that run only 25 days later, he should hold strong claims in this Group 3 with question marks around Israr and Flying Honours based on their runs last time and a concern about Desert Hero over this trip.

Harry Cobden is under pressure from Sean Bowen in the jockey’s championship and he will be hoping that MATTERHORN (best priced at 5/1) can win for a third time on his first start after a wind operation. The Paul Nicholls trained six-year-old was disappointing on his stable debut but bounced back to win by 13 lengths at Taunton in March 2023 following a wind operation. He was beaten at Huntingdon on his next start under a penalty before returning from another wind operation to win at Taunton by 16 lengths in November 2023. 

Connections have decided to give him another wind operation following a disappointing run on his handicap debut at Kempton in December but he has been given a 121 day break since. This return to better ground will help him and he looks worth backing in this 0-135 handicap.