Andy Holding's New Year's Day Racing Tips

SOME CHAOS (NAP) (best price 4-1) has shot through the ranks in a very short space of time and even though his winning run came to and end at Wincanton last time out, he did more than enough to suggest he’s not quite finished just yet.

In a very strongly-run race at the West Country track, Michael Scudamore’s gelding was always moving like he was going to be involved in the finish and while he ran hard all the way to the line once off the bridle turning for home, he couldn’t quite go with the eventual winner, Reikers Island. With his conqueror universally excepted as being extremely unlucky not to score again at Newbury three days ago, the form at least has been given a big boost and although the son of Brian Boru lacks the experience of many of his rivals, his sound jumping should be the perfect complement for his first attempt at today’s track.

GLOBAL MELODY (best price 4-1) is the least experienced of the field, but he also probably has the more progression and upside and he’s fancied to go well again in a bid to supplement his recent gains over today’s course. Finding the mile trip a bridge too far on his first visit to the Nottinghamshire venue, Phil McEntee’s gelding was much more at home over the minimum distance 12 days ago, and after stalking the front-running favourite, Point Break, from the start, he stayed on best of all late on to score with a bit in hand. Obviously, a good deal is taken on trust that he can adapt to today’s six-furlong trip, but he seems to have a good combination of speed and stamina and with a decent break from box two, the son of Hellvelyn is fancied to be in the thick of the action throughout.

CRUCIAL ROLE (best price 11-1) looks to have quite a bit on his plate according to the betting, but such was his performance on the clock last time out at Uttoxeter that Dan Skelton’s gelding may be capable of proving the layers wrong.

A shade disappointing on his first start for new connections at Haydock – although he may have just needed the run – Dan Skelton’s gelding looked a totally different proposition on his most recent outing at Uttoxeter when he scored with any amount in hand. Jumping well throughout, the son of Westerner seemed to thrive on the environment of a strongly-run race and with several of his more illustrious opponents priced up on their reputations rather than what they’ve actually achieved over fences so far to date, the seven-year-old makes quite a bit of appeal at his top morning price.

HEY BUD (best price 20-1) shaped better than the bare result suggested over today’s course last time out and he looks poised to outrun his odds at the very least despite the competitive nature of the field. Promising in two bumpers last season, big things clearly weren’t expected on his hurdling debut/seasonal return after a 260-day break – hence his price of 20-1 - but Jeremy Scott’s six-year-old caught the eye the way he finished off his race from the back of the field to claim a never-nearer seventh of the 17-strong field. Likely to improve significantly from that initial outing, the son of Fair Mix might just be capable of getting in the mix if he’s allowed to run on his merits.

IRISH ROE (best price 5-1) has to shoulder top weight for the second time in succession, but she does bring a certain amount of quality to proceedings and she looks sure to go well again given how this race is likely to pan out in her favour.

Although yet to win this season, Peter Atkinson’s mare has run creditably on each start, and her latest effort when chasing home the useful Equus Maximus at Doncaster was yet another notable performance. Prior to that solid display, the daughter of Vinnie Roe was still going well enough to suggest she would have had some sort of part to play in the ultra-competitive Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham and using the assumption that she would have finished in around the likes of subsequent winners Verdana Blue and Mohaayed, it doesn’t take a genius to work out that today’s contest represents a slightly easier task.