Andy Holding's Thursday Racing Tips

PATHS OF GLORY (best price 7-4) has taken a real shine to the tapeta surface on the evidence of his last two victories and he’s strongly fancied to complete the hat trick despite the lurking presence of the well-regarded, Deja.

Hugo Palmer’s gelding first sprung to prominence as a proper potent force when he landed his first handicap with something to spare at Chepstow back in August and he quickly followed up with an equally impressive display on al-weather debut over today’s C&D. Pitched into a quality 0-95 handicap at Wolverhampton last time out, that contained several progressive three-year-olds, the son of Mastercraftsman just got the battle of ding-dong dual with El Misk and, with the time figure very much suggesting that the front pair are two exceptionally useful sorts on an all-weather surface, it came as no surprise, therefore, to see the runner-up dismiss subsequent winner, Grandmaster Flash, readily at Kempton next time. Obviously, connections of Deja will be looking for some sort of compensation after their best laid plans for a tilt at the November Handicap were ruined by the weather, but either way, the four-year-old grey has all the skills to give the favourite all the trouble he can handle and he rates the value bet of the pair at his morning odds.

SOMETHING SWEET (NAP) (best price 7-2) has been in a rich vein of form of late and she’s confidently expected to keep up the good work at a track that has served her well in recent times.

A valiant runner-up to Robin Gold on her first visit to the Co Tipperary venue when just not quite seeing out the 2m6f trip, Roger McGrath’s mare proved far more effective when dropped down two furlongs on her most recent start 14 days ago. Impressing by the way she travelled throughout the contest, the seven-year-old found plenty off the bridle once given her head after jumping the last and with a competitive field of mares’ strung out like washing in behind, the form reads well in the context of today’s race. Moreover, her overall time figure and final circuit sectionals (easily best on card), point towards her running to a career-high standard and with conditions almost identical to what they were the last day, the daughter of Mahler makes loads of appeal at her morning price.

BADDESLEY KNIGHT (best price 7-2) ultimately just didn’t have enough left in the locker to repel the useful Rouge Vif at Market Rasen on chasing debut, but he went through the race like a fair tool and he can take advantage of what appears to be a workable handicap mark.

A useful novice hurdler last season, Chris Gordon’s gelding, however, always had the look of a potentially smart chaser and on the evidence of his effort at the Lincolnshire course 33 days ago, its surely only a matter of time before he justifies those beliefs. Picking up the running going best coming out of the back straight, the son of Doyen ran out of steam when lack of a previous outing became an issue, but he did keep on well enough after the last to finish within a respectable range of the winner, who was rated a good 11lb superior in any case. Likely to be all the better for that initial outing, today’s sharp track on better ground will suit and it’ll be disappointing if he’s not in the mix with a clear round.