Andy Holding's Wednesday Racing Tips

MR STRUTTER (best price 8-1) was noted doing some good late work at Thirsk last week and he’s fancied to carry that decent effort forward to a track where his form figures read 113 since teaming up with Ronald Thompson. Dropped out and unable to go the pace at the Yorkshire venue seven days ago, the son of Sir Prancealot found himself with plenty in front of him at halfway, but once he picked up the bit inside the final two furlongs, he came home with a fair rattle to finish a never-nearer fifth. Indeed, had he received a clearer run late on he would have undoubtedly finish a good deal closer and now stepping up to a trip that should, in theory, assist rather than hinder, the five-year-old rates a sporting each-way play at the morning prices.

The other to catch the eye at the very same meeting was FARD (best price 9-2) in the concluding seven-furlong handicap and he also is worth a dart at the morning prices. Similarly dropped out in his race from a coffin box wide draw, Roger Fell’s gelding had fresh behind him as the field turn for home and even though he could never land a meaningful blow at the leaders from thereon after, he came home with enough purpose to suggest it won’t be too long before he’s shedding his maiden tag. Interestingly, his finishing split of 34.5 from the three-furlong pole was only bettered by the winner, Inner Circle, on the entire card, and when you considered those numbers include the likes of the five and six-furlong sprint races earlier in the day, it just shows what a decent effort it was by the four-year-old.

The mere fact that Mark Loughnane had a first-time-out two-year-old winner yesterday suggests his team are just returning to form and that augurs well for the chances of BIG LACHIE (NAP) (best price 7-4), who has been a model of consistency when others in the yard were anything but.

Often slowly away, the son of Camacho once again put himself behind the eight ball in a similar contest here two starts ago, but in his own inevitable way, he managed to pull a rabbit out of the hat with an amazing kick finish to score going away (best closing sectionals on the card by some way). Trying to repeat the dose at Brighton last time, he couldn’t quite reel back course regular, Pink Flamingo, who just got loose on the front end, but he at least stormed home again to indicate he remains in fine heart. Although there’s only three opponents here this evening, at least the five-year-old will have something to aim at with Crystal Deauville likely to blast off at a tidy rate of knots and providing regular pilot, Georgia Cox, can keep him in touch in the first part of the race, he should prove a massive player in the latter stages.

MOLIVALIENTE (best price 3-1) hasn’t been seen out since finishing an eye-catching runner-up in a novice event at Chelmsford back in May, but providing all his well after his 62-day absence, John Best’s colt has every chance of making the wait worthwhile.

Promising on his first two starts in similar events at Lingfield towards the backend of last year, the son of The Factor shipped up at the Essex venue strongly-fancied to get off the mark at the third time of asking and although it’s hard to say whether he would have won for certain that day, he left the impression he would have gone close with anything like a clearer run than the one he actually received. Held up behind a wall of horses when going well turning for home, the roan grey had to sit and suffer while the eventual winner, Daring Venture, skipped merrily clear down the straight, and although he managed to cut back the losing deficit to a respectable three lengths, the dye was already cast. Clearly a talented sort on the evidence of that display, the lightly-raced three-year-old doesn’t appear to have been too harshly treated off a mark of 74 for his first handicap and it would come as a surprise if he doesn’t turn out to be a massive player.