Andy Holding's Wednesday Racing Tips

A small field and racing right-handed and ROBIN DES MANA (best price 4-1) has a pretty good record, so despite having a little to find on official ratings, Gordon Elliot’s inmate is fancied to supplement recent Punchestown gains. A winner of a race at Clonmel when Jack Kennedy performed miracles to stay in the saddle, Davy Russell didn’t have to resort to any rodeo antics in getting the Robin Des Pres gelding home at Punchestown last time out and although it was tough and go whether he would have beaten Surrogate Lad had he stayed on his feet at the last fence, the time figure he posted in victory still points towards it being affair effort by the seven-year-old. In a race where tactics could play a vital role, he might just hold an advantage over his main two rivals on account of that possibility they probably need a little further to be seen at their best.

A wide-open affair, but FLORAMOSS (best price 9-1) definitely comes into calculations if she can run to a similar level of her last two performances. Fourth behind the useful mare, Pennywell, at Uttoxeter two starts ago, the daughter of Alflora went on to occupy the same position in a decent little handicap at Wetherby last time out which was noted for its useful speed figure for the grade. Although she could never land a blow at the main protagonists that day, she did keep on willingly enough in the latter stages and with all her best performances coming when there’s been plenty of give in the ground, today’s underfoot conditions should ensure she runs to maximum capacity.

INDIAN NATIVE (NAP) (best price 7-1) did really well to finish a respectable third behind Miss Tongabezi at Towcester last time out considering she was very nearly brought down at the ninth by the fall of Pink Gin, and in what looks a fairly modest contest this afternoon, hopefully she can finally receive the luck she deserves. Although she ran perfectly solidly the time before at Warwick behind subsequent winner Sparkling River, Alex Hales’ inmate never really looked happy and always appeared on the back foot at the Midland venue and now returning to a right-handed track just might help her get into a better rhythm.

Indeed, her best ever performance on the figures came when she finished a creditable fourth to the very smart Mister Whitaker (now rated 137) in a red-hot handicap at Carlisle on her chase debut, and repeat of that level of form should ensure she massively competitive in a race of this nature off a mark of just 113.