Andy Holding's Wednesday Horse Racing Tips

AMERICAN PATROL (NAP) (best price Evens) looked like a horse who’d got plenty in hand when getting off the mark at the fifth attempt at Wolverhampton last time out and this appears to be a good opportunity for Neil Mulholland’s charge to follow up under just a 6lb penalty. An eye-catcher the time before at Chelmsford, the son of Rio De Le Plata landed some tidy bets in the process at the Dunstall Park venue nine days ago and with the time figure he posted suggesting he is some way clear of the handicapper at present, only a total disaster in the run can possibly prevent him from winning again.

Unless you’ve been on planet Mars for the last two months, most punters worth their salt will know how strong the form of Willoughby Court’s maiden hurdle at Warwick from the early part of December has been, so the runner-up that day, TOMMY RAPPER (best price 2-1) has to be the automatic choice despite the strong nature of the field. Runner-up in two bumpers last season, the son of Milan got no further than the first on hurdling debut at Hereford, but he quickly dusted himself down by raising him game to another level with his latest effort, and being as he was the only one to offer any resistance to Ben Pauling’s subsequent Grade 2 winner at the Midland venue, his performance is worth upgraded accordingly. Clearly a massive player on speed figures and form, the only negative aspect to his chances here would be the slight dip in form of his stable, as other than Heron’s Heir’s win at Catterick last week it’s been a quiet time for the Dan Skelton yard. Without that query he would have been a much stronger points advice than the one recommended, but he’s still has to be worth playing to some small degree as that productive Warwick race owes us nothing with regards to financial profit already banked.

MEDICINE HAT (best price 9-2) travelled like the best horse in the race here last time out only to get mugged in the closing stages by the fast-finishing Jan Smuts, but at the same time, at least he prove he handled today’s track and he’s worth another chance now dropping back down in trip. Prior to that encouraging performance at the Gosforth Park venue, the Multiplex gelding had scored in emphatic fashion on his previous attempt on a Tapeta surface over 1m 6f at Wolverhampton and hailing from a yard that had two winners on Monday, there’s every chance Marjorie Fife’s charge can add to those successes.

CAMAKASI (best price 12-1) was a little disappointing when a beaten favourite here last time out, but his time figure in defeat suggested it wasn’t that bad a run, and he’s given another chance to prove his victory the time before wasn’t a total fluke. On that occasion, Ali Stronge’s inmate came from some way off the pace to win going away by four lengths, so a return to that very same C&D could reap rewards at a tidy each-way price.