Andy Holding's Saturday Racing Tips

BEHIND THE WIRE (NAP) (best price 13-2) has shown a good level of improvement in four starts to date over fences and he’s fancied to end his campaign in the best possible fashion in this competitive handicap. Disappointing on his chase debut on soft winter ground, Tom George’s inmate has gone from strength to strength on drier surfaces subsequently and there’s an argument to be made that he should be unbeaten in his next three outings. His defeat at Doncaster two starts ago came about because his pilot Adrian Heskin made a complete Horlicks of the last three fences when his mount was clearly the best horse in the race, but at least the Irishman made amends last time out by committing the son of Mahler to the job at hand. Jumping beautifully throughout, the six-year-old got into the kind of rhythm that was joy to watch and providing he receives another attacking ride from the front this time around, this likeable type with a real appetite for the game will prove difficult to catch.

CAUIS MARCIUS (best price 14-1) benefitted from a really strong pace at Wetherby last time out and with a similar set of circumstances likely to unfold here this afternoon (Tonto’s Spirit, Valhalla, Unison and Eyes Of A Tiger all like to make the running), Nicky Richard’s charge can be expected to perform to a decent standard. Unsuited by the soft ground the time before at Market Rasen, the King’s Theatre gelding appreciated the return to a sound surface at the Yorkshire venue 25 days ago and with the second and the eighth both going on to enhance the value of the form on their next starts, the lightly-raced six-year-old looks set to follow suit under ideal conditions.

Both Light That and Nonetheless ran with plenty of credit in the handicap won by Ace Of Diamonds at Leopardstown the other day, but further back in the field that day, REMARKABLE LADY (best price 15-2), suggested she may have had a significant say in the final reckoning had she got a clearer run, so she represents the value call in a wide-open race. Held up in midfield off the back of medium fractions, Harry Rogers’ mare just got caught in a pocket when the tempo increased as the field turned for home, but given the way she finished off her race once out in the clear late on, she had to be marked down as a slightly unlucky loser. Back on better ground with Pat Smullen replacing the 10lb conditional who rode her last time out, the daughter of Zoffany makes huge each-way appeal at her morning odds. NIVEN (best price 14-1) ran a good deal better than his finishing position suggested in a different race that same afternoon on his seasonal return and he, too, looks overpriced based that promising performance. Having only one behind him turning for home 10 days ago at the Dublin track, Ken Condon’s inmate impressed by the way he finished off his race in the latter stages and now racing over a distance more in-keeping with his profile, a more prominent display seems likely from his favourable inside draw.

FORTUNATE GEORGE (best price 6-1) proved he’s a tough nut to crack once he has the bit between his teeth at Uttoxeter last time out and racing over a track that often rewards an attacking run-style, Emma Lavelle’s inmate is taken to follow up. Unlucky the time before at Ascot when a standing start backfired in his face, the son of Oscar was much more alert when the taps went back at the Midland venue 28 days ago and racing on the speed throughout, he never looked like he was going to relinquish the lead. Only up 6lb for that convincing success, the seven-year-old gelding has the ideal conditions to dish out similar punishment to his rivals.

LETS GO DUCHESS (best price 7-1) enjoyed a fairly lucrative period before the weather conditions saw her duck for cover for the winter, but now back from a break on ground she will love, Kevin Bishop’s mare makes plenty of appeal down the foot of the weights. A smooth winner at Taunton two starts ago, the daughter of Helissio looked for huge quantities of her latest outing at Wincanton like she was going to follow up, but she couldn’t quite match the finishing burst of eventual winner Soupy Soups in the closing stages and she had to settle for the runner-up berth. The form of the race, however, worked out to such a degree that it still pointed towards her running to a decent standard that day and with her profile suggesting she’s likely to run her race better than most (yet to finish out of the money on her last seven starts), she rates a solid-looking each-way bet.