Andy Holding's Wednesday Racing Tips

Viadera is a rare runner for Ger Lyons on these shores so you’d have to respect her chances, but whether she’s a genuine 2-1 poke on what she’s actually achieved is very much open to debate. Of those at more tempting odds, TAPISSERIE (best price 15-2) and MODERN MILLIE (best price 12-1 - now a non-runner) may have a little to find if you believe the ratings, but as is often the case with these kind of events, they sometimes throw up funny results and they’ve both done more than enough to suggest they can hold their own.

The former looks another one of these improving fillies housed in the William Haggas stable and even though she’s one of the least experienced, she could also be one with the most upside. Runner-up in her first two starts over six furlongs, the daughter of Le Havre made a giant leap forward when upped in trip on softer ground at Salisbury last time out and with the time figure pointing towards It being a fair effort, it’s easy to see why connections have bypassed handicaps in search of black type.

The latter has already dipped her toe into pattern company and she’s acquitted herself quite well without winning. Only beaten five lengths in the Free Darling at Newbury, she then found the fast ground all against her at York two starts ago and even though it might appear like she chucked in a poor run at Royal Ascot last week, she actually ran a good deal better than the bare result suggested. Well behind at halfway, Mick Channon’s charged home in very taking fashion to finish on the coat tails of the leading players and providing there’s some easy underfoot here this afternoon, she can perform better than her morning odds suggest.

MOGHRAM (best price 11-2) clearly hated the very testing conditions at Salisbury last time out, but if you put a line through that performance and judge him on his previous effort over today’s course, then he must surely be in with a decent chance of making a winning handicap debut.

In need of the run when only beating a few home on his debut behind Eagles By Day at Salisbury, Marcus Tregoning’s colt found a good deal of improvement for his second start that enabled him to chase home the progressive Great Bear at the Wiltshire track a month later. Although no match for the winner, the son of Sir Percy kept on well in the latter stages and in beating the rest quite comfortably, he ran much better than his allotted mark of just 67. Clearly, the handicapper has taken into account his latest demise when calculating his sums and that could turn out to be a mistake if he gets the chance to run on a surface that hasn’t been penetrated by too much rain here this evening.

PHOENIX OPEN (NAP) (best price 9-4) didn’t really show a huge amount on his first two starts, but his latest effort was a totally different story and providing he runs to anywhere near that level here this evening, he’s going to take plenty of stopping off the sort of handicap mark he’s been allotted.

Sent off a 14-1 for a Cork maiden a month ago, Gert Lyon’s colt turned into the straight with more behind him than in front, but coming with a powerful late surge, he ran past some useful sorts to finish an eye-catching and never-nearer third. Looking at the performances of the likes of winner Balefire (placed twice off a mark of 79), Pacific Ocean (won Navan maiden and is now rated 83), Morpho Blue (won twice since and is rated 81)), and Memsie (won Leopardstown maiden) since that contest at the Co Mallow venue and it’s clear we are dealing with an above-average piece of form, so to have got away with an opening mark of 71 and even been allowed to keep it retrospectively has to be considered as a stroke of good fortune. Although up in trip tonight, the way he stayed on 35 days ago suggests he’ll be well suited by 1m2f and from his potentially favoured inside draw in stall one, it would come as a disappointment to all concerned if he couldn’t take advantage of what appears a golden opportunity against some pretty average and exposed-looking rivals.