Andy Holding's Saturday Racing Tips

FIZZY FEET (best price 9-4) got a desperate run through here last week to the one Lady Dancealot enjoyed and in today’s smaller field, David Loughnane’s is fancied to turn the tables around with his old rival.

Going into that competitive contest fresh off the back of a smooth success over the same C&D, the daughter of Footsepsinthesand went through the race with the same amount of composure only to find her path blocked at the most crucial part of the race coming off the home bend. Although it’s impossible to say she would have won for certain, there’s every chance she would have gone close and with her three victories prior to this afternoon all coming in single-figure fields, hopefully there shouldn’t be too many excuses for her not receiving a clear passage this time around.

ALOHAMORA (best price 8-1) had the audacity to flaw the odds-on, hat trick-seeking Young Dev in his own back yard at Limerick last time out and that performance goes a long way to suggest the daughter of English Channel is in good enough shape to translate that form back over hurdles.

Having shaped with encouragement on her chasing debut at Tramore previously, a decent run was anticipated at the Greenmount Park track over the Christmas period and she didn’t disappoint, with a display of some authority. Always handy, she took advantage of a slow jump at the last by her main market rival and scampered clear on the run-in to win with a bit to spare. A creditable fourth on her last outing over hurdles in a competitive 17-runner affair at Punchestown, James Nash’s inmate races off the same mark here today and with conditions to suit, she’s fancied to take advantage of her low weight in the first-time cheekpieces.

NORTHOFTHEWALL (best price 12-1) lacks the experience for a race of this nature, but at the same time, he does exhibit quite a bit of quality and it just might turn out that he’s enough ahead of handicapper to make some sort of impact.

Since fitted with a tongue-tie, Dan Skelton’s gelding has taken his game to another level and his victory at Hereford last time out was hardly out of turn. The way he stayed on off a strong pace at the Midland venue also indicated he’s got plenty of stamina and that’s one of the main reasons why he rates an interesting contender over an extra half a mile. Prior to that success 23 days ago, the son of Mahler had split two above-average novices who’ve both gone on to advertise the form since, and hailing from a yard continuing to make waves in these big Saturday handicaps, the six-year-old will hopefully do his bit for the Warwickshire set-up. Market leader Notre Pari looks a big threat to all having travelled and quickened like a useful type at Aintree last time out and it would come as no surprise if he were to strongly suggest he’s still some way ahead of his revised mark.

BIG BAD BEAR (NAP) (best price 5-2) has looked a good bit better than a 130-rated horse on more than one occasion this season and he’s strongly fancied to boot home that theory on his first attempt in handicap company.

A massive eye-catcher in a hot novices’ event at Aintree on his seasonal/hurdling debut back in November, Nicky Richards’ inmate was heavily-backed to vindicate the impression he created that day over today’s course next time out and, after travelling powerfully throughout, he duly delivered the goods at the main expense of subsequent winner, Miah Grace. A huge odds-on favourite to supplement those gains at Carlisle last time out, the son of Jeremy scored with more in hand than the official winning margin suggested – quickening well on the run-in – and with the runner-up and third (won at Sedgefield yesterday) both going on to boost the form since, he seems to have done well to arrive here off the same mark before that encounter at the Cumbrian track. A real smooth-traveller with a touch of class, the six-year-old already appears the type that wouldn’t be out of place on a bigger stage and with today’s extra yardage also threatening to improve his end product even further, it will be disappointing to say the least if he doesn’t come up to expectations.

Of the rest, the testing ground may have just gone against Storm Rising, so the chief threat may stem from My Scrumpy who landed a C&D handicap November with a bit to spare before finding the quicker conditions not to his liking at Doncaster last time.

THE CONDITIONAL (best price 4-1) arrives here with easily the best form on offer so far this season courtesy of his fine effort in the Ladbroke Handicap Chase at Newbury just over a month ago, and with that performance proving conclusively that he’s well-suited to strongly-run, big-field handicaps, David Bridgwater’s gelding has to rate a solid choice in anyone’s book.

A creditable third in a small-field event at Worcester for new connections back in September, the son of Kalanisi took a huge leap forward by capturing a hugely-competitive 3m1f handicap at Cheltenham’s showcase meeting a month later and that set him up with clash with the very best staying handicappers.

Sent to the Berkshire venue as a result of that career-high display, the eight-year-old took his performance levels to even greater heights in the 24-strong contest by finishing runner-up to the well-treated youngster, De Rasher Counter, and given how strong he was in the latter stages of that well-run affair, the extra three furlongs he encounters this afternoon should play into his strengths.

LUCKY’S DREAM (best price 5-2) would have surely landed a similar handicap over tonight’s C&D with anything like a clear run 30 days ago and providing he’s in the same sort of shape on his return visit, Ian Williams’ gelding rates a strong choice to make amends.

Unbeaten on his two previous outings at the Essex venue, there had to be some doubt whether he could complete the hat trick following a 140-day break, but given how the well he going until disaster struck rounding the home turn and pretty much all the way down the straight, there’s little question he would have answered that question with positive response. For whatever reason, tonight’s surface clearly suits the chestnut extremely well and with the smaller field he encounters likely to put less influence on track position, he looks to have a big chance to return to winning ways.