Andy Holding's Wednesday Horse Racing Tips

POBBLES (best price 5-1) benefitted greatly from wearing cheekpieces for the first time at Kempton last time out and she is taken to build on that performance and turn in another positive display in this competitive-looking fillies’ handicap. Last and seemingly facing a hopeless task as the field turned for home at the Surrey venue, Roger Charlton’s charge did extremely well to finish second to the well-fancied Revel in the circumstances, and with her closing final three furlong sectionals of 36.0 being one of the best on the card, she’s clearly going to be dangerous here if she can be ridden a little closer to the speed.

MIGHTY STOWAWAY (best price 11-4) has hit the crossbar in his three starts so far to date, but this looks a good opportunity for Shark Hanlon’s inmate to get his just rewards for those solid performances in defeat. Runner-up in a useful bumper first time off the shelf, the son of Stowaway, filled out the same position on hurdling debut when chasing home the useful Balthazar D’Allier at Naas on his opening bow to this season and try though he might, he couldn’t shift the bridesmaid tag when playing second fiddle to Pylonthepressure at Limerick last timeout. However, as the winner that day is held in very high regard by Willie Mullins and the time figure of the race was very smart, the six-year-old ran to a very high standard, and with today’s step up to three miles likely to induce further improvement, this long-term chasing prospect should go close to breaking his maiden tag.

As most punters are probably aware, the race at Exeter won by Neon Wolf is working out as well as the speed figure suggested, so it’s prudent to make a case for anything that showed a bit of promise that day further down the field and in the shape of TEST PILOT (best price 10-1), he certainly did enough to promote his claims for another occasion. Despite the strong pace, he still seemed to be travelling as well as anything turning for home, but in—keeping with how many of his stable mates are faring at present, he faded tamely in the latter stages. That said, he still posted a reasonable number in finishing a respectable eighth and even though his yard still remains a little quiet and, more importantly, he may be a handicap project in-waiting, Jonjo O’Neill’s charge has to be worth a small investment to see whether the shackles are untied today.

TOBERDOWNEY (best price 2-1) showed plenty of battling qualities to get the job done at Wincanton last time out and she rates a strong choice to follow up that success off what doesn’t appear to be too severe a handicap mark. Outpaced and ridden coming out of the back straight at the West Country venue 30 days ago, Oliver Sherwood’s inmate still looked to be swimming against the tide approaching the last flight, but putting her head down in tenacious fashion, she dug deep into her reserves on stamina to gain the day close home. Quite clearly on the evidence on that display, the daughter of Stowaway is crying out for further than two miles and with the runner-up that day, Sister Sybil, going on to endorse the form with a win at Leicester yesterday, she rates a solid-looking bet at her morning price around this sharp 2m 5f.

Hopefully, the crashing fall that CASTAFIORE (NAP) (best price 11-10) suffered at the last flight at Musselburgh last time won’t have left any long-term damage to Charlie Longsdon’s charge as he showed enough that day until departing that are plenty of races to be won with this promising juvenile. Runner-up on his two previous outings, he was being delivered with what looked a promising effort going down to the final obstacle at the Edinburgh venue 24 days ago only to total misjudge the hurdle completely and send his pilot into the ground like a dart. Whether he’d have won had he stayed upright is open to debate, but with the winner that day, Project Bluebook, and the third, Nietzsche, both going on to frank the form with wins subsequently, it’s pretty clear that he has the beating of today’s field if his confidence hasn’t been affected too badly.