Andy Holding's Boxing Day Racing Tips

KLARE CASTLE (best price 11-2) could only find the one-pace on his first outing for new connections after a break of 308 days at Lingfield last time out, but that performance still carried enough promise to suggest he’ll be a big player in a race that only a few count.

Runner-up in two bumpers before unseating on hurdling debut for Sue Smith, the son of Black Sam Bellamy was expected to make some sort of impact at the Surrey venue 29 days ago, but as it transpired, the combination of a well-run race over the minimum trip just exposed his lack of match practice in the closing stages. Likely to be much sharper for that initial run this afternoon, the step up in trip should see this lightly-raced six-year-old in a better light and he rates a decent each-way bet at his morning odds.

The early morning market for this complex little novice event can’t make up its mind as to what should be favourite, but what it does say, is that FLY TO MARS (best price 28-1) simply can’t win and that view could well turn out to be a gross misjudgement. 

Based on his first outing when only showing modest form in a bumper at Exeter last season, the four-year-old would be an absolute million to figure in a race of this nature, but on the evidence of his hurdling debut at Plumpton, he surely has a better chance than the betting suggests. In a well-run affair at the Sussex track that produced an excellent time figure, the noticeable feature about the son of Schiaparelli’s performance was how he travelled throughout that 2m 4f contest and although he couldn’t quite match the winner in the closing stages, he still managed to totally batter the likes of Breaking Waves and Acey Milan.

Although the latter mentioned pair are far from world-beaters over hurdles so far to date, they have each shown infinite promise and ability in some good quality events – particularly bumpers - and if either one of the duo were to line up in this race, there’s simply no way they would be chalked up at 33-1. Moreover, Colin Tizzard is nobody’s fool when it comes to judging a decent racehorse and the fact that he’s willing to pinch his charge into this relatively hot contest off the back of just one run over timber is enough to warrant to stab at this promising sort to cause a big shock in the opener.

The weights and measures monkeys will no doubt be all over Manning Estate here to turn the tables on COOLE WELL (best price 5-1), but at the same time, the market seems to have reacted too violently to that possible theory working out and Jamie Snowden’s gelding rates a solid each-way bet at the prices.

Setting off to make all the running at Plumpton 23 days ago, the Gold Well gelding had most of his field in trouble going down the back straight and in maintaining a relentless gallop all the way to the line, he seemingly won with a bit up his sleeve. Likely to be ridden in a similarly attacking nature this afternoon, conditions and the track layoff offer a decent opportunity for the five-year-old to once again stretch his rivals to the limit.

An absolute humdinger of a novices’ handicap which is sure to have a bearing on some important events in the future – particularly the big 2m 4f handicap at the Cheltenham Festival – and the one that catches the eye at being slightly overpriced is AWAKE AT MIDNIGHT (best price 12-1). 

Progressive over hurdles and winning on his seasonal return, Philip Hobbs’ gelding went straight for the jugular on his opening bow over fences at Chepstow a month later when capturing an ultra-competitive novices’ handicap with a bit to spare. Nicely backed to follow up in a similar contest at Exeter last time out, the son of Midnight Legend held every chance leaving the back straight until a series of events, such as almost being brought down on the home turn, a bad mistake four and being badly hampered two out counted against him and for those reasons he’s clearly much better than the bare result suggests.

Still not badly treated on the evidence of that display at the West Country venue, the five-year-old might have a bigger part to play than his odds indicate with a clear round.

On the face of it, TORQUAY (best price 20-1) was bit disappointing when last seen at Listowel back in September, but for one reason or another she didn’t jump with any great fluency that afternoon so it may pay to forgive her that slight blip and give her another chance to back up several other encouraging previous performances.

Runner-up in hot handicap over today’s course back in July, the daughter of Alqaam was well backed to go one place better on her return visit to the Greenmount park venue two weeks later, but as it turned out, an overly aggressive ride (led with over a circuit to race) meant she had nothing left in the locker to repel the late challenge of Black Label in the closing stages.

Dropping back to the minimum trip today should suit the five-year-old, especially under testing conditions, and if ridden with a degree of restraint, there’s no reason why she won’t be competitive at the business end despite her morning odds suggesting otherwise.

KILDORRERY (NAP) (best price 6-1) has taken really well to chasing and even though he lacks the experience of some of the more established names, he has enough quality to take advantage off his opening handicap mark of 132.

A useful hurdler, Ted Walsh’s inmate, however, always looked as though he was the type to improve from the larger obstacles and he wasted no time to back up that view when scoring at his first attempt at Punchestown. In beating Duca De Thaix that afternoon, he won with a bit up his sleeve and with his conqueror going on to land a valuable handicap at Fairyhouse on his latest outing off a perch of 133, it clearly isn’t beyond the realms of possibility that this chap will follow suit.

Often given exaggerated waiting tactics, hopefully the son of Arakan won’t be asked to make up a ridiculous amount of ground in the closing stages and if that proves to be the case, he should go close to make a winning handicap debut.

 Despite the Henderson spin machine trying to convince punters otherwise, there has to be a serious question mark about the prospects of Might Bite retaining his crown after his inept display in the Betfair Chase, so it may pay to look elsewhere for a new king on the block in the shape of POLITOLOGUE (best price 11-2).

A dual Grade 1 winning chaser, Paul Nicholls’ grey rounded off a stellar season by taking the JLT Melling Chase in gutsy fashion from the classy Min at Aintree and he began this campaign in a similar vein at Ascot. Off the back of a 255-day break, the son of Politologue once again showed his appetite for a fight by out-battling the ultra-tough Charbel in a driving finish and with the runner-up going on to boost the form in the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon next time out, the seven-year-old arguably arrives here with the most persuasive credentials.

The only slight sticking point would be derive from being untested at the trip, but with his jumping and high cruising speed two of his biggest assets, those qualities will give him every chance of proving equal to the task.

EN MEME TEMPS (best price 4-1) has been in the thick end of the action in two quality novice hurdles of late and providing he can run to somewhere near to the same level on handicap debut, a mark of 117 should prove well within capabilities. An excellent fourth behind Good Boy Bobby at Carlisle two starts ago, the third home that day, The Some Dance Kid, has quite a way to enhance that particular from line since, and his latest effort when chasing home the smart Clondaw Anchor isn’t too shabby in the context of today’s race either.

The feature of both of those two races was the above-average speed figures posted by the winners, and with today’s easier competition and flatter track both seen as positives, Tom Lacey’s four-year-old has a golden opportunity to break his duck.