Andy Holding's Thursday Racing Tips

Greateteen rates the most intriguing runner in this field, but at the same time, BANG ON (best price 4-1) at least brings fairly solid form to the party and at the morning odds, Jeremy Scott’s gelding rates the percentage each-way alternative to the short-priced favourite.

Runner-up in his first two outings in bumpers, the son of Fracas went to the Welsh venue for his hurdling debut a relatively unfancied 20-1 shot, but he managed to outrun those expectations by keeping on well late on to finish a close-up fourth behind several well-regarded types. Although he shapes like he could probably do with further, the time figure last time at least proved he has the requisite speed to cope with a well-run two miles and with today’s contest only containing a handful of genuine contenders, it would be a shock if he wasn’t bang on the premises.

UNBLINKING (NAP) (best price 7-4) was unlucky in many respects to bump into the well-handicapped Palmers Hill at Cheltenham last time out, but with the pair well clear of a competitive field of largely progressive types, he confirmed that he remains in the rudest of health (won on the all-weather previously at Kempton) and he can take advantage of his current assessment off bottom weight. Noted going well at the top of the hill 11 days ago, Nigel Twiston-Davies’ gelding swept to the front rounding the home turn only to find his main pursuer travelling even better on the run down to the last. Headed on the run-in, the son of Cacique tried his level best to keep tabs with Jonjo O’Neill’s five-year-old but try as he might, he just couldn’t match the change of gear the winner exhibited and he had to settle for an honourable second. Although that excellent effort came on fairly decent ground and today’s conditions are likely to be a good deal more testing due to the heavy rain, the five-year-old has a couple of notable performances last season on soft ground at Chepstow to put the mind at rest on that score and it would be a major surprise if he doesn’t go very close to shedding his maiden tag over hurdles off a mark that underestimates his recent improvement.

Commandant ultimately ran out a comfortable winner over today’s C&D seven days ago, but it might have well been a different story if LLEYTON (best price 6-1) had jumped any of the first half a dozen hurdles with more accuracy and he’s fancied to make a race of it again at the very least. Held up towards the rear of the field, John Finn’s gelding lost countless number of lengths by paying scant respect to most of his hurdles and then just as it seemed it might be a lost cause he made rapid ground with a sweeping manoeuvre around the entire field to lead turning into the home straight. Obviously, the laws of physics caught up with the son of Kalanisi after the last and on the uphill climb to the line, but the fact that he easily gave away more ground than the four lengths he eventually got beat suggests he must surely go close if he removes the blindfold that seemed to be over his head here last week.