Andy Holding's Friday Racing Tips

The novice event won by Minella Trump at the last meeting was a particularly strong one by the track standards if the speed figure is anything to go by, and having run a blinder to finish a close-up second on just his second outing over hurdles, MASTERS APPRENTICE (best price 7-2) rates a solid bet to score on handicap debut.

A shock 50-1 winner on his hurdling debut at Uttoxeter, Mark Walford’s gelding proved that victory to be no fluke with an even better effort on the figures here 22 days ago and the way he kept on willingly to push the winner all the way to the line suggests he’s got a big heart to match his ability. Clearly well suited by a test on soft ground, today’s contest should play right into his strengths and his vital course knowledge will come in handy too.

Some useful types already proven at a fairly high level from powerful yards predictably dominate the headlines for this Grade 2 contest, but it might turn out that one of the smaller stables that has a huge say in the outcome of the race in the shape of UP THE STRAIGHT (NAP) (best price 8-1).

Sent off 33-1 for his rules debut at Lingfield having placed five times in point-to-points, little was expected of Richard Rowe’s gelding first time off the bat, but he couldn’t have proven the market any more wrong with a display that beggared believe. Always going well at the Surrey venue, the son of Arcadio cruised past the red-hot favourite, Cat Tiger (rated 142), with ease approaching two out and from that point onwards, he drew further and further clear without being asked any kind of serious questions. With a performance of such dominance, it was good to find out in the post-race analysis that the speed figure backed up the visual impressions, and with the well-beaten third and sixth both going on to score since, there’s no reason to doubt the validity of the form. Clearly at home under testing conditions, the five-year-old has the numbers in the bag to suggest he isn’t out of place in a race of this nature and it would come as no surprise if he were to ruffle the feathers of some of the more illustrious names down the front end of the market providing racing right-handed isn’t an issue (did run well three times going in a clockwise direction in Irish points).

Juvenile hurdlers are always tricky for the assessor to get right at this time of year and POP THE CORK (best price 6-1) is fancied to prove that he’s a fairly well treated horse on handicap debut.

Runner-up to Guardia Top (looks main danger again) on his hurdling bow at Perth, Jonjo O’Neill’s inmate was sent to Uttoxeter for his latest outing and, in what looked a match on paper, he lowered the colours of the strongly-fancied favourite, Olympic Honour, with a bit to spare. Moreover, his circuit time worked out the best of the four hurdles races at the Midland venue that day and with his ability to see out the trip well on testing ground assured, the substantially-built three-year-old can keep up the good work for his in-form handler.

MIDNITEMUDCRABS (best price 14-1) has been few favours by the draw in recent times and, as a result, her finishing positions don’t tell the whole story and she’s taken to prove that she’s a good bit better than the bare form suggests now housed closer to the inside fence.

A never-nearer fifth over a mile when handed stall 16 out of the ballot box two starts ago, James Feane’s mare once again had someone spike her strawberries on her latest outing with the widest berth, so she did well in the cold light of day to finish as close as she did. Fourth in a similar contest when last given a favourable draw, box four tonight does give the daughter of Arcano a better chance of being competitive and although it’s been a while since she won a race, let’s not forget her last winning mark was a full 14lb higher than the one she races off this evening.

There’s no doubt Narynkol is the most interesting of the 14-strong field here tonight having his first outing for a stable renown for turning base metal into gold, but the safest option is to go with the reliable C&D form of GOLDEN VALOUR (best price 9-4) in the hope that he can finally get off the mark at the tenth attempt.

Although yet to win, his last two runs have suggested it can only be a matter of time before he pokes his head in front and if it wasn’t for bad draws resulting in poor track positions, he might have shed his maiden tag earlier. For instance, he was forced to race on the wing throughout his latest effort in a competitive handicap here 21 days ago which made his effort more meritorious than at first glance and with tonight’s favourable inside draw likely to be worth a length or two in the final analysis, the son of Kingman rates the value bet of the front two in the market.