Andy Holding's Wednesday Racing Tips

DUBAI ELEGANCE (best price 10-1) never had the chance to supplement her previous victory at Doncaster due to a slowly-run, tactical affair at today’s track that didn’t suit her when last seen, and she’s afforded another opportunity to prove that her success on Town Moor back in August was no fluke.

Sent off 20-1 that day in a competitive field, Derek Shaw’s mare was always travelling better than her odds suggested and when asked for maximum effort inside the final two furlongs, she found plenty for pressure to pull clear of a useful field of fillies. Indeed, the likes of beaten trio, Springwood Drive (won twice), Maid In Spirit (won at Salisbury) and Orange Blossom (second at Epsom) have all done their little bit for the form and with the time figure also pointing the race in question to be above average, it was no surprise to see her well-fancied to repeat the dose when shipping up at the seaside venue 42 days ago. Tried over seven-furlongs, unfortunately, the pedestrian pace and bun-fight to get towards the stands’ side rail meant the race became an exercise in who could sprint the best from the two-furlong pole and being held up behind a wall of horses towards the rear, meant the daughter of Sepoy had very little chance of making any sort of impact. She did, however, at least finish her race off well enough once out in the clear to suggest all remains well in her world and now back over her optimum trip, she should easily be capable of outrunning her odds providing there’s a reasonable amount of pace up front. The only downside comes courtesy of there being seven runners, as she would have automatically qualified for a sound each-way bet with three places. Therefore, the advice is to play her in the win market and in the three place markets as an alternative.

KODIGREEN (best price 9-1) has run a good deal better than his finishing position has suggested on both his two racecourse appearances and he’s worth a reasonable each-way interest to see whether he can make it third time lucky.

Very slow away on debut at Cork, Joseph Murphy’s charge then proceeded to do an impression of a bucking bronco for the first furlong and as a result, he found himself miles off the pace in last position at halfway. From that points onwards, however, the son of Kodiac did some really good work in the latter stages, so much so, that he caught up plenty of the lost ground to end up finishing a respectable eleventh of the 21-strong field. Although sent off 33-1 at Gowran next time out, he wasn’t totally devoid of support as he was available to back at 100-1 in the morning lists, and he certainly justified to the money in his direction by running a more complete race than the first time. Breaking much cleaner, he raced prominently throughout and although he momentarily looked a big threat a furlong out, he couldn’t quite see his challenge all the way to the line against some useful types on the rain-softened ground (winner Royal Dornoch had previously finished third in the Richmond at Goodwood). Back down in trip and over a straight track, this sizeable two-year-old has all the attributes to more than hold his own in a race of this nature and providing his middle draw doesn’t end up being an inconvenience (they can end up coming up the stands’ side rail on easy ground at this time of year), he looks sure to go well on what we’ve seen of him so far to date.

The draw hasn’t been kind to MYRCELLA (best price 8-1) (18 of 20), but so well did she run at Down Royal last time out that she has to be worth a small interest to back up the view she created at the Co Down venue. Nicely positioned in the early stages 18 days ago, things went from bad to worse in a short space of time and by the time she’s reached the bend into the short home straight, the daughter of Anjaal found herself shuffled back towards the back of the 13-strong field. Picking up really strongly in the closing stages, however, she somehow managed to salvage something from the wreckage and charging through the line, she left the distinct impression she would have won easily with anything like a clear run. On the evidence of what came about that day, today’s step up in trip should suit, so it’s just a question of whether Ben Coen can organise a challenge on his filly from their wide draw.