Andy Holding's Wednesday Racing Tips

Fitness has to be taken on trust as far as LITTLE RORY MAC (best price 3-1) is concerned, but providing he’s close to doing himself justice after a long break, Henry Oliver’s gelding has enough quality to make some sort of impact in a race of this nature.

Formerly with Philip Hobbs, the son of Yeats made his debut for new connections at Uttoxeter last December, and in what turned out to be a fairly well-run contest, he was noted shaping quite well in the closing stages without being unduly punished. Sent back to the Midland venue a month later against even sterner opposition, Henry Oliver’s inmate once again exhibited plenty of natural ability when finishing a creditable third behind two useful sorts in the shape of the 128-rated Betameche and Mack The Man and off the back of that outing, he was put away for the rest of the season. Given plenty of time to grow up mentally and fill into his frame (still looked a bit raw and clumsy at some of his hurdles last season), this lightly-raced sort has been given a considerate mark of 114 for his handicap debut and with all of his four career starts having taken place on either soft or heavy going, he should be more in-tuned with today’s conditions than most.

FANTASY KEEPER (best price 5/1) seems to be hitting form just at the right time and is fancied to go one place better than when runner-up in this corresponding race two years year.

A winner on his first outing over today’s C&D back in May 2017, Michael Appleby’s gelding proved his liking for the track when runner-up on his return visit two months later and then he was trained with this race very much in mind from that point on. Allowed to go off at 14-1 that day, the son of Mayson looked like his was going to bely his position in the market when sweeping to the front just over a furlong out only to be run out of the argument close home by the fast-finishing Syrian Peral. Another fine effort ensued on his final start of the campaign at the Colwick Park venue to end his season stats reading 1222 and it’s been a surprise to see that the five-year-old hasn’t been back since. Successful at Sandown over five-furlongs in June, Fantasy Keeper has run well on both his two starts since returning to the fray after a mid-summer break and with preparation seemingly going according to plan, a big effort looks on the cards under his optimum conditions of six-furlongs and soft ground.

GAVI DE GAVI (NAP) (best price 9-4) produced an amazing performance when scoring here last time out and with the numbers suggesting that winning effort was anything but a fluke, Alan King’s inmate carries plenty of confidence behind him in his repeat bid.

Awkward leaving the stalls 21 days ago, the son of Camacho found himself well behind in the early exchanges and by the time the field had swung for home, he still remained a detached last. From that point onwards, however, that’s when the fireworks really began as the lightly-raced four-year-old delivered a storming run that carried him past all 12 opponents in short space of time. Burrowing his way up the inside, he managed to cover the last three furlongs in a very smart 34.5 (Magicinthemaking ran 35.8 over 6f here last week and Turn To Rock 36.0 on his last outing) and with the track continuing to ride on the slow side, anything that dips under 35.0 for the time being has to be noted – even more so a horse only rated 56. Only raised 5lb in the ratings subsequently, the figures suggest that hike could have been a good deal worse and the mere fact that he actually gets to run in a lower grade race here this evening should be seen as a bit of a gift. A big, strappy sort with tons of scope, clearly tonight’s longer straight than all the other all-weather turning tracks enables him to find his top gear in enough time and providing he’s within hailing distance of the front runners turning for home, his useful turn of foot should to be good enough to land the knockout blow late on.