Andy Holding's Wednesday Racing Tips

ANOTHER THEATRE (NAP) (best price 10-3) justified her position as a well-backed favourite to get off the mark at Catterick last time out and with her opening handicap mark of 114 not looking to be too severe, Henry Oliver’s mare should turn out to be very competitive on her first try in her new discipline. A big eye-catcher the time before over today’s C&D when she kept on strongly in the latter stages for minimal pressure, it was unsurprising that the daughter of Shantou came in for significant market support when sent up to contest what looked on paper a decent opportunity.

Always travelling best at the Yorkshire track, the six-year-old went on to justify her short-price status with a bit to spare and with the potential of even more to come now she’s in full flow, it would be disappointing if she doesn’t go close with promising stable conditional Jason Dixon on board.

COSMEAPOLITAN (best price 6-1) was the beneficiary of a super tactical manoeuvre by jockey David Probert here last time and while it’s hard to envisage the race panning out exactly the same way 23 days on, Alan King’s gelding still appears to have grossly underestimated. Dropped out last in a slowly-run affair at the Surrey track, the son of Mawatheeq was rushed up around the outside of the field coming down the hill and in finding an impressive turn of foot that quickly gained him three or four lengths over his rivals, he maintained a big enough advantage to get the job done.

Obviously a good deal was made of the fact his stable mate, Casper The Cub, was done no favours given how the race unfolded, but at the same time, it’s not as if today’s shorter trip is guaranteed to suit him either. Therefore, there seems to have been a huge overreaction reflected by their respective prices and at 7-1, the six-year-old rates the percentage each-way call on the basis he seems to have the better turn of foot of the pair.

Low-grade horses with a turn of foot are worth keeping on side while still eligible to run against such opposition, and MY BROTHER MIKE (best price 6-1) rates a decent bet to follow up his recent C&D success as a result of meeting that criteria. Off the track 83 days, Kevin Frost’s five-year-old was given plenty of time to find his stride at the Surrey track, so much so, that he turned for home with seemingly a mountain to climb.

However, the son of Bated Breath managed to pull off an unlikely victory by producing an unbelievable late surge down the middle of track and when you compare his come home time off the corner to other horses on the night, it’s no surprise he was able to pass all eleven rivals in such a short space of time (only bettered by the 103-rated Keystroke in the 6f conditions race). Whether it was the removal of the headgear, the track surface, the strong pace or a combination of all three it’s difficult to know where the improvement came from, but either way, if he manages to find the race panning out in a similar way on his return visit, there’s every chance he can repeat the dose.