Andy Holding's Wednesday Racing Tips

CLEARLY CAPABLE (best price 9-2) just found the well-handicapped three-year-old, Hen, too good in the closing stages at Uttoxeter last time out, but with the subsequent speed figures indicating it was a fair race for the grade, Dai Burchell’s gelding has to be of some interest in this modest-looking affair on home soil.

Having his first outing since wind surgery, the son of Bienamado took the field along at a sound pace at the Midland venue and with him still travelling well at the second last, it was only the eventual winner that managed to go with him on the run down to the final flight. Once headed, the effect of his 426-day absence really kicked in and he faded close home, but he still managed to maintain a healthy advantage over the rest of the field and that has to be regarded as a decent effort on his return to action. Unproven on soft ground prior to that effort 31 days ago, at least we now know that the 10-year-old has an extra facet to his game and another bold show looks on the cards.

BELLEVARDE (best price 5-1) once again proved her love affair for both today’s C&D and soft ground here last time out and she rates a confident choice to do her usual thing again back at her happy hunting ground.

Having narrowly failed at the Midland venue the time before, it was no great surprise to see the daughter of Kodiac prominent in the market to go one place better and having travelled well off a sound pace, she proved her 4-1 status to be correct with a smooth victory. Although the weights and measures mob will point out she’s a little worse off with several she’s met before, there’s a good chance that today’s race is likely to pan out in a similar fashion to how it did a week ago, and for that reason, Richard Price’s mare is taken to offset that slight negative.

It’s taken an age for new connections of ISHEBAYORGREY (best price 7-1) to work out that he wants seven-furlongs and an all-weather surface, but at least their poor decision making has meant their charge has inadvertently dropped down nicely in the handicap and that should mean the seven-year-old grey is extremely competitive in race of this nature.

A very useful 87-rated performer at his best when trained in Ireland, Iain Duncan’s acquisition has run a series of fine races without winning since moving to these shores and with another one of those sound efforts coming at Newcastle last time out, he should be just about primed to strike. Racing keen with no cover at the Gosforth Park venue through the early stages, the son of Clodovil did extremely well to keep on a gamely as he did in the latter part of the race and considering he also did all that good work racing on the unfavourable part of the track, his performance deserved considerably upgrading. Now racing off a career-low mark of just 55, it will be disappointing to say the least if the seven-year-old couldn’t figure prominently against this sort of opposition.

A modest card at Dundalk this afternoon where nothing in particular stands out at the prices except for PAK ARMY (best price 9-2) in the concluding 1m2f handicap.

Having his first run for 136 days and at the track for the thick end of a year and half, Shay Barry’s gelding raced exuberantly just in behind the strong tempo set by Milford Sound and when he capitulated over two furlongs out, the four-year-old picked up the running and galloped on hard all the way to the line. In clocking a smart time for the grade, he repelled the late challenge of the heavily-backed favourite Cacique Royal (5-2 into evens) and considering he achieved this feat from the worst of the draw, his performance deserves plenty of credit. Moreover, the form has also worked out well since with the third horse home, Yamato, scoring readily since, and with today’s drop back down in trip not seen as an issue given the way he travels, he will hopefully have too many weapons to fire than favourite Munaajaat, who is unproven beyond a mile.

BEYOND EQUAL (NAP) (best price 7-2) seemed to take really well to tonight’s surface at the first time of asking here last week and he’s strongly fancied to go one place better if running to a similar standard.

Held up in the early exchanges, Stuart Kittow’s gelding only had two behind him as the field swept for home, but in putting in a powerful surge up the inside after the cutaway, he made up a huge amount of ground in a short space of time only to find the more prominently-ridden Soldier’s Minute with just enough left in his locker to repel his late challenge. In almost pulling off the unlikely win, the four-year-old, however, did post some impressive backend sectionals and having been handed another favourable draw nine days on, just a slightly better early position should hopefully result in him hitting the bullseye.