Horse Racing Tips: Step Out ready to step up for Crawford

There will be a quartet of race meetings taking place across Britain and Ireland on Sunday, with an even split between the two.

Jumps action holds sway at Stratford, Down Royal and Tramore, while they go on the Flat at Musselburgh.

Below are our Horse Racing Tips featuring three Sunday fancies, including Step Out for trainer Stuart Crawford at his local track near Belfast.

14:18 Stratford – Groom De Cotte @ 6/4

There are stamina questions for GROOM DE COTTE to answer in the Racecourse Streams On Racing TV Extra Handicap Chase at Stratford but the last-time-out Huntingdon winner is worth chancing.

The nine-year-old toiled initially after switching to the Gary Brown yard at Lodge Down Stables but he's found his enthusiasm again and is taking advantage of a reduced mark in both codes over jumps.

He won over 3m2f at Fontwell over hurdles in September and was only just denied back there over shorter in December.

His first start of 2025 came at Huntingdon (2m7½f, good to soft) last month and it was easily his best chasing performance to date as he pulled clear for a nine-and-a-half-length win under Richie McLernon with a next-time-out scorer in third.

He's 8lb higher now but is clearly on good terms with himself and his hurdles form offers real hope he will thrive at this trip.

15:45 Musselburgh – Code Purple @ 11/2 

The Sunday Series returns for 2025, with live terrestrial action from Musselburgh getting things up and running.

The opening handicap over a mile features Musselburgh specialist CODE PURPLE for the Ben Haslam team with Paul Mulrennan in the saddle.

The Ribchester gelding shows form figures at this track of 121122 at trips ranging from 7f-1m1f, with his most recent visit coming back in November.

He had a spin on the all-weather last month at Newcastle to tune up and is just 1lb higher than when denied a short-heard over C&D in November.

16:35 Down Royal – Step Out @ 10/3

STEP OUT is taken to get trainer Stuart Crawford on the scoresheet at Down Royal in the Double Green silks of owners Isaac Souede and Simon Munir, with their retained rider JJ Slevin travelling north to do the steering.

The Walk In The Park gelding managed one win and four placed efforts in his time over hurdles. He's shown promise without scoring thus far in five chase starts, save for unseating his rider early in the race here at Christmas.

He's twice finished third in three runs since, and given his hurdles win was over 2m6f at Downpatrick, there's a decent probability that he will produce his best chasing effort so far now stepped up in distance.

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