Andy Holding's Wednesday Racing Tips

There’s no denying that Moskovite is the clear pick of today’s field based on her form over hurdles, but she does lack for race conditioning and her jumping has to be taken on trust on chasing debut, so with that in mind, she’s passed over in favour of the match-fit LE HACHETTE (best price 9-1).

In fine form at present, Patrick Ryan’s mare arrives here off the back of another game effort from the front at Ballinrobe in an ultra-competitive mares’ handicap last week (fast time) and that performance only further advertised her improvement since returning to the scene in July. Prior to the six consistent efforts over hurdles during that period, the daughter of Yeats had scored in the point-to-point field at Corbeagh House, where once again she made all the running, and with that run style likely to prove key again around a track where it’s difficult to make up ground from the back of the pack – particularly on soft ground – she should give another bold sight from the front.

CLIFF HOUSE (NAP) (best price 7-2) has had ten tries over fences without getting his head in front, but given that a good majority of those performances have come against fairly useful opponents, another chance is afforded to Di Love’s gelding.

Only beaten four lengths by the smart Farclas at Down Royal back in May, the son of Mustameet filled out the same position behind the equally classy Wicklow Brave at Ballinrobe a few weeks later and both efforts fully justify his current rating of 123. No match after the last for the progressive Cut Em Down when last seen over fences at Roscommon, the nine-year-old has subsequently run up to a fair level in two starts on the Flat and with the latest of those displays coming in an extremely strongly-run affair at Down Royal 25 days ago, he remains in the kind of form that suggests he will be a big player back in a race of this nature over his ideal trip

Air Pilot is the benchmark regards solid, older horse form, but whether he can contain the younger, fresher legs at the ripe old age of 10 remains to be seen and he’s passed over in favour of QARASU (best price 9-2). Although the ratings suggest the three-year-old has plenty to find on the book, Roger Charlton’s colt his plenty in his favour, none more so than the prevailing soft underfoot conditions which he relishes. Impressive at Windsor and Newbury respectively with plenty of give in the ground, the Le Havre colt failed in his bid to land a gamble in handicap company at Haydock last time out, but he left the impression that might be seen in a better light in an even stronger run race. With Nyaleti, Elwazir and Illumined all confirmed front runners, there shouldn’t be too much of an issue on that front and hailing from a stable that is banging out winners at a rapid rate at present, this lightly-raced sort can outrun his odds.

ALL YOURS (best price 9-2), formerly a Grade 1 winning hurdler when trained by Paul Nicholls, clearly isn’t the force of old, but at the same time, he’s done more than enough of late on the Flat to suggest he’s not quite a done deal just yet.

Just beaten a neck by the rapidly-improving Paths Of Glory (won since) at Ffos Las on his return to the level two starts ago, Sean Curran’s gelding ran about as well as could be expected in a hot maiden contest at Wolverhampton last time out, keeping on well enough in closing in what turned out to be a very strongly run affair. With the winner, Casanova, going on to score at Sandown off a mark of 91 and the eighth-placed horse, Inteldream (beaten 27 lengths), also winning next time, the form of that race at the Dunstall track is beginning to take shape and off what appears a more than workable opening mark of 78, the son of Halling cam make his presence felt.