Andy Holding's Wednesday Racing Tips

HATTAAB (best price 10-1) shaped with real promise on his hurdling debut over today’s C&D three weeks ago and providing he can handle the testing ground in place this afternoon, another sound effort looks in the offing. Ridden with the future very much in mind that day, Tom George’s inmate jumped like a horse that was learning on the job, but as he warmed up, he gradually got the hang of things and he stayed on quite pleasingly in the closing stages to be a never-nearer sixth in quite a warm little heat for the track. Hopefully, he should know more second time around and, as there doesn’t appear to be too many superstars in the field, he makes plenty of appeal at a tidy-enough each-way price.

MAKE MUSIC (NAP) (best price 6-5) was fully entitled to need the run after a 221-day layoff over today’s C&D last time out and if we take her cyclical pattern from last season as a guide, there’s a decent chance she can win at the second time of asking after a break. Despite the absence, however, Andrew Balding’s filly still ran to a very decent standard when a close-up fourth behind course specialist Shyron and with plenty of other notable track regulars in behind such as Alfred Hutchinson and Makaarim, the race in question looks a pretty reliable source with regards to solid C&D form. Interestingly, of her three wins at today’s track, they’ve all been achieved in single figure fields and with the useful apprentice Jason Watson in the plate, the daughter of Acclamation rates a strong choice to put another notch on her Lingfield bedpost.

Donjuan Triumphant holds the key to this contest given that he’s probably the most talented amongst the field on his day, but being as he’s yet to score on the all-weather (0-4) and he arrives here sure to be a bit rusty after an 81-day layoff, there’s every chance he could be vulnerable. Although the official ratings suggest RECKLESS ENDEAVOUR (best price 8-1) has a bit to find, he’s often left the impression he’s capable of better and following three promising performances for new connections, Jamie Osbourne’s inmate could turn out to be the joker in tonight’s pack with more in his favour than the market would have you believe. A real improver on the all-weather over in Dundalk when in the care of Ger Lyons, the son of Kodiac has continued to run to a pretty high standard since switching stables and his latest effort when a never-nearer third in a hot handicap on the figures at Lingfield indicates he’s coming to the boil nicely. Prior to that useful display, the five-year-old had previously shaped well on his only visit to tonight’s track when keeping on well to claim a creditable third behind two top-class performers in the shape of Double Up and Intisaab and with several in tonight’s field either yet to win at tonight’s track or running over an unfavourable distance, it would come as no surprise to see this chap right in the mix.