Andy Holding's Saturday Racing Tips

SPEED COMPANY (best price 7-2) has hit the board on all three starts since joining new connections and now back on a surface that very much suits, Ian Williams’ gelding is fancied to gain an overdue first success over hurdles.

A useful 84-rated performer on the level when trained by John Quinn, the five-year-old has looked a winner waiting to happen for quite some time now and following another solid effort at Haydock last weekend, today could easily be the time he strikes. Prior to that third-place finish to Cornerstone Lad at the Merseyside track, the son of Fast Company probably would have gone very close to beating the very smart Tokay Dokey but for uprooting two of the last three flights and with his high cruising speed and useful turn of foot two of his main weapons, those qualities should see right in the thick of the action.

MOYHENNA (best price 7-4) was thrown into the lion’s den on her first start over fences at Cork last time out and having run a brave race to finish second to the potentially very smart Camilia Des Cottes, Denis Hogan’s mare can take advantage of this significant drop in grade. Off the back of a 227-day break, the daughter of Westerner did very little wrong on her opening bow over the larger obstacles and although she couldn’t quite match the winner’s all-round game at the Mallow track, she impressed by the way she stuck to her task all the way to the line. Having scored over today’s track last season and hailing from a yard buoyed by the success of Moskovite here the other day, the six-year-old rates one of the biggest box-tickers on the card.

ANOTHER CRICK (best price 9-4) left the distinct impression he should have won at Southwell last time out and he rates a strong choice to vindicate that impression despite facing one or two tricky opponents. A creditable second in a hugely-competitive handicap on chase debut at Chepstow, Noel Williams’ five-year-old went to the Midland track 25 days ago with plenty of confidence behind him, but unfortunately he was given far too much to do by his pilot and he allowed his well-fancied market rival, Destrier, to get first run. Although he shapes as though he’s crying out for further, today’s track will provide an extra emphasis on stamina and with a clean round of jumping, the son of Arcadio can gain some well-deserved compensation.

The race which REIKERS ISLAND (NAP) (best price 7-2) won last time out at Wincanton was noted for its extremely strong pace and having come through that white-hot environment to good effect, Philip Hobbs’ inmate is strongly fancied to show his class and brush aside top weight.

Having his only second start over fences at the West Country venue, the five-year-old gelding jumped like he’d been doing it all his life and even though he was sternly tested to the max by the well-backed favourite, Some Chaos, in the final half a mile, he always looked in control. Clearly well suited by a thorough test of stamina on the evidence of that display, this likeable son of Yeats should be in his element around a track that rewards his skill set.

A fascinating renewal of this prestigious Grade 1 and the final result will probably depend on how the race pans out. Samcro would ideally want a strong pace over this trip under the conditions, so he could probably do with Petit Mouchoir or even Supasundae making the running or if not, trying to utilise his stamina by towing them along himself. Plenty was made of his defeat at the hands of BEDROCK (best price 12-1) on his seasonal reappearance at Down Royal and now fitter courtesy of another run at Newcastle behind Buveur D’Air, the logic is to believe he will turn around the tables with his old rival. That may turn out to be the case, but at the same time, Ian Jardine’s gelding unjustifiably seems to have been total underestimated again and he has to be worth a small interest at the price to see whether he can continue his meteoric rise up the ranks. A smooth winner of Grade 3 at Tipperary, he went to the Co Down track as an easy-to-back third favourite of the four runners and although he clearly benefitted from how the race panned out (Samcro and Sharjah crazily took each other on), he still showed a nice turn of foot to seal matters late on. Coming here instead of taking on Buveur D’air and Co in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton, connections will find out today whether he’s a genuine Champion Hurdle contender or not under ideal conditions.

SHARJAH (best price 13-2) can be a bit hit and miss but as we saw last time out in the Morgiana, when they get the tactics right and he’s ridden for a turn of foot off a strong pace, he can be as good as any two-class two-miler. As it proved in the Down Royal race two starts ago, trying to make the running with him turned out to be as pointless as a glass hammer, and having been an unlucky loser of a Grade 1 at this meeting last year, it would be poetic justice for Willie Mullins’ gelding if he were to make amends twelve months on.

There’s no getting away from the impressive nature of Champ’s win here last time out considering how much energy he expended early doors, but this race looks a totally different kettle of fish and in GETAWAY TRUMP (best price 15-2), he faces at least one opponent who is likely to give him something to think about at the very least.

Having travelled well only not to get home on his seasonal reappearance at Chepstow back in October (looked like lack of fitness), Paul Nicholls’ gelding has gone from strength-to-strength since and following an easy success at Plumpton on his next outing, he was even more impressive when upped in grade at Exeter last time out. Off the back of solid fractions set by the well-fancied Remastered, the son of Getaway bounded away on the run-in to score with plenty on hand and any horse that can show that sort of gear change at the end of a well-run race thoroughly deserves to take his chance in Graded company.