Andy Holding's Wednesday Tips

Although ON TO VICTORY (best price 9-2) failed in his bid to follow up his previous success at Sandown last time out, he still came out of the race with great credit and he can continue his progression with another positive display despite top weight. Clocking a big speed figure at Leicester the time before, Eve Johnson Houghton’s inmate went into that race at the Esher track strongly fancied to lower the colours of several highly-regarded sorts and if the race had panned out slightly better (failed to get a clear run up the inside), he may have well notched another notable success. On the plus side, he did shape like he’s more of a stayer that a miler and that should stand him in good stead here today as he faces the combination of 1m 4f and potentially soft ground for the first time.

Significant rain throughout the day is likely to change the ground considerably at the Midland track this afternoon, but that shouldn’t bother KNIGHT OF NOIR (best price 4-1) too much as he has plenty of solid form with plenty of give underfoot to call upon. Back to something resembling his very best last time out, Neil Mulholland’s gelding scored for the first time in three years when lowering the colours of the in-form Beer Googles at Aintree and with the pair pulling 25 lengths clear of the rest, the form looks solid. Indeed, the third-placed horse that night, Iora Glas, went on to boost the credentials of the race next time out at Bangor and with the time figure also suggesting it was a performance of some repute, the son of Winged Love has every chance of defying his 10lb hike in the ratings (has run off 142 in the past).

There are plenty of showers forecast for the Co Kildare area during the day so conditions are likely to change appreciably, and that should be music to the ears of HATTON CROSS (NAP) (best price 7-1) who has proved many times in the past he’s not adverse to racing on a soft surface. Although yet to win in two starts this season, both performances have been sprinkled with promise and following a decent effort behind Blue Bounty at Cork, Tom O’Mara’s inmate ran another solid race at Limerick last time out. Despite finding the ground at the Munster venue on the lively side, he still kept on well in the closing stages to finish a creditable fifth, and with the time figure of the race suggesting the first half dozen had all run to a decent standard for the grade, the performance carries extra merit. Indeed, the form of the race has already begun to take shape thanks to the performances of Alans Pride and Guanabara Bay next time out (first and second in a similar race at same track), and from a nice middle draw (Wayne Lordan can go either side if the field split), the Moss Gale gelding can go some way to adding to his fine record at tonight’s track.

In what looks a wide-open fillies listed prize, a chance is taken on the unexposed pair BLOOMFIELD (best price 7-1) and ELUSIVE DUCHESS (best price 16-1) bridging the gap from maiden to pattern-race company. The former hails from a stable that do really well with the fairer sex and the daughter of Teofilo looks another off the production line based on her scintillating success first time out at the Curragh. Staying on powerfully in the final half mile, Willie McCreery’s charge pulled nicely clear in the closing stages, and in posting the fastest furlong-per-furlong time on the seven-race card, she went into the notebook as a filly of some repute. Although this clearly represents a sharp rise in class, her proven ability to handle a well-run race on soft ground should stand her in good stead and it’s not as if she’s got to find a massive amount in any case according to her position in the market.

The latter looks to be cut from a similar cloth based on her first-time-out success at Listowel and she also hails from a stable that have done really well with lightly-raced fillies in the past (Jet Setting springs to mind). Unfancied on her racecourse debut (went off a 33-1 poke), Adrian Keatley’s inmate belied her market weakness with a performance of some promise and given how strong she was in the latter stages of that well-run affair (ran the last four furlongs 1.6 seconds quicker than the 6f handicap won by Orangey Red), a step up in trip looks just what the doctor ordered.