Andy Holding's Saturday Racing Tips

A wide-open contest, but the two that catch the eye having run well on numerous occasions between them at today’s venue are CHATAM STREET LAD (best price 6-1) and ROOSTER BYRON (best price 11-1).

The former clearly gets on well at this flat, right-handed circuit as his only two career wins have taken place at the Mallow course and his latest one of those victories couldn’t have been any more impressive. Well-backed following a couple of pipe-openers in the Autumn, Michael Winters’ gelding was always moving like the gamble was going to be executed 27 days ago and having only to be shaken up in the latter stages to pull readily clear, it’s almost impossible to calculate how much he had in hand. A rise of 10lb in the ratings, therefore, could still easily be way short of the mark and if that proves to be the case, the son of Beneficial should be capable of holding his own against today’s sterner opposition.

The latter was an early casualty when sent off favourite to land the Tim Duggan Memorial at Limerick last time out, but that was only his second start over fences and he’s much more accustomed to running in races of this nature. A winner of three races back-to-back during last Spring on soft ground, Paul Nolan’s charge showed his versatility by achieving that feat between two and three miles. Back off a 198-day break over today’s C&D in November, the son of Oscar shaped better than the bare result when third in a similar handicap to the one he faces this afternoon and he looks primed to run another huge race now race fitness is assured.

TEDHAM (NAP) (best price 7-2) has caught the eye on more than one occasion in smart novice hurdles so far to date and he rates a strong choice now he gets the chance to exploit what appears to be a workable mark on his first attempt in handicap company.

Only beaten 11 lengths by the potentially smart Al Dancer (now rated 141) on his hurdling debut at Carlisle back in October, Jonjo O’Neill’s gelding shaped just as well behind another smart hurdling recruit at Chepstow next time. His latest effort, however, is the one that really excites as the son of Shirocco travelled conspicuously well until getting outpaced by subsequent Challow Hurdle runner-up Getaway Trump in an above-average affair at Exeter. Not only has the winner gone on to endorse the form and earn a new rating of 142, the speed figure he achieved at the West Country venue suggests that he’s done well to escape himself with 125 and with today’s better ground and step up in trip seen as massive positives, it would come as something of a surprise if this lightly-raced performer wasn’t capable of going close of that sort of perch.

CULTRAM ABBEY (best price 12-1) returned from a long break to run out a fairly convincing winner at Kelso last time out and with the time figure and subsequent form of those in behind suggesting the form is above-average for a veterans’ chase, Nicky Richards’ inmate can make the long trip down south worthwhile.

A smart 139-rated performer in his pomp, the 12-year-old spent most of last year running well in a series of hunter chases’ but on the evidence of his latest effort at the Borders venue, he certainly doesn’t look out of place in open handicap company. Although Kelso is probably his number one patch, the son of Fair Mix has got plenty of quality form going right-handed and hailing from a stable that have been booting in winners all over the place this season – including a Grade 1 at Leopardstown recently – the Greystoke stable could be in for another party tonight.

The race that Brewin’Upastorm landed at Huntingdon last month was well-above average if you take into account the speed figure it produced, and having caught the eye with the amount of ground he made up from the back of the field to finish a never-nearer third at the Cambridgeshire venue, WINSTON C (best price 11-4) rates a strong choice to confirm the impression he created that afternoon.

A useful 87-rated performer on the Flat for Michael Bell, the five-year-old gelding was quietly fancied to go well on his hurdling debut 27 days ago, but after been set a pretty stiff task from a very early stage, his fairly shortish odds never looked like being justified. He did, however, record his own decent set of numbers in a personal time trial from the back of the field and with the fourth and sixth winning and the winner going on to finish a close-up fourth in a Grade 1 since, a repeat of that level of form should be enough to see him home in this weaker race on paper.