Andy Holding's Saturday Racing Tips

THE SWEENEY (best price 4-1) has shaped pretty well on his first two starts over hurdles and with the latest of those performances coming in a useful heat over today’s C&D, confidence is fairly high he can go well again under similar conditions. Although he couldn’t go with previously impressive course winner Chooseyourweapon in the latter stages, Emma Lavelle’s inmate did keep on pleasingly enough to finish a creditable third and with the numbers of the race in question suggesting he’d run to a fair standard, the six-year-old makes plenty of each-way appeal at the morning prices.

PRESUMIDO (best price 2-1) shaped with conspicuous promise at Kempton last time out and he’s fallen to a sufficient low enough mark to be considered a massive player in a race of this nature. Although only seventh of 11 at the Surrey venue, Simon Dow’s veteran would have finished a lot closer had he got anything like a clear run in the latter stages when getting up a nice head of steam and now returning to the scene of some of his best career performances, the eight-year-old – who always come good at this time of year – can roll back the years with Adam Kirby doing duty in the saddle.

It’s not exactly ideal for any horse to be asked to race on ground as testing as what it’ll be this afternoon – even more so a juvenile, but SUSSEX RANGER (best price 10-3) has the size and scope that belies his age group and having seemingly taken extremely well to the winter game, Gary Moore’s charge can prove he’s up to the standard required for this Grade 1 affair. Set to run here rather than take on the older horses in the Tolworth Hurdle over at Sandown, the son of Hat Trick has shown a really pleasing aptitude to his new discipline based on his two performances so far to date and even though connections aren’t necessarily thinking on the lines of Triumph Hurdle at this stage, a win today might just have to rejig their thought process. When winning at the Esher venue 29 days ago, he not only clocked a decent overall speed figure, but his final circuit time was over four seconds quicker than the one achieved by On The Blind Side when he took the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle on the same card, so based on those findings, this big, scopey four-year-old has plenty of natural pace to match physique.

MONTY’S MEADOW (NAP) (best price 5-1) was desperately unlucky to bump into the thoroughly progressive Granny Biddy (was completing a hat trick) over today’s C&D last time out, but with the pair pulling miles clear of the rest – including several who re-oppose this afternoon – it has to go down as a smart effort in defeat by the veteran. A useful 140-rated chaser on his day (was good enough to beat the classy Arbre De Vie just over a year ago), amazingly for a 10-year-old, that was only his sixth start over hurdles and his first in handicap company and on the basis of what we saw 48 days ago, he doesn’t appear too badly treated off his current mark. On top of the list of positives, his form figures at today’s track now read an impressive 1212 and with conditions to suit (form on heavy 2212321F24P2), James Mangan’s inmate can provide local connections with a decent pay day. The potentially well-treated Tout Est Permis rates the main threat if he can translate some of his useful chase form of late back over hurdles.

Last year’s winner SHANTOU BOB (best price 4-1) took a big step in the right direction with an eye-catching effort at Cheltenham last time out and he looks booked to go well in his repeat bid with conditions to suit. Down the field when never at the races on his opening salvo this season at Carlisle, Warren Greatrex’s inmate didn’t look in too good a shape with two to jump at Prestbury Park 22 days ago, but a powerful surge from the long run off the home turn to the line saw him pass toiling rivals hand over fist to finish a never-nearer fourth. Even more at home when the mud is flying, the son of Shantou will keep on galloping when most of these have cried enough and that makes him a sound each-way proposition at the morning prices.

WALT (best price 9-2) hasn’t done a fat lot wrong in both his two starts to date over fences and this race looks well within his capabilities based on what we’ve seen so far. A creditable third on his first try over the larger obstacles at Fontwell, both the winner, Markov and third, Lithic, have both gone on to endorse that form line from the Sussex track, and his effort when filling out the same spot at Chepstow last time out also comes out equally well on the figures. Having yet to run a bad race whilst under the tutorship of Neil Mulholland and with two of those decent runs coming over today’s track (both hurdles), the seven-year-old has all the hallmarks of a sound bet at the morning prices.