Andy Holding's Tuesday Racing Tips

There’s no doubt Ashdale Bob sets the standard here following his excellent effort in a race where the winner, second and fourth have won subsequently, but there’s also an argument to made that BRAESIDE (best price 5-1) rates the solid each-way alternative based on his third over today’s C&D last time out and for that reason, he looks the percentage call at the morning prices.

Although he’s yet to win in seven starts, Gordon Elliot’s inmate has shown a fair level of consistency and his latest effort here a month ago is easily his best offering so far to date. In a race run at a sound gallop for the conditions (heavy ground), the son of Presenting went well until not having the quality of the front pair late on, but when you consider the winner, Monkfish, is very highly regarded by Willie Mullins and has a possibility of fulfilling an Albert Bartlett target, it puts into some sort of perspective the task he faced at the Co Meath track. Moreover, he finished way ahead of Atlantic Shore that day, making little sense, therefore, why he’s been chalked up at a bigger price than his old rival this afternoon, and it’s not as if second favourite, Eden Flight set the world alight on his hurdling debut either. Providing he runs his race, and there’s no reason to believe he won’t, he should be capable of hitting the frame at the very least and he also looks a tempting proposition in the ‘without the favourite’ market.

Theflickeringlight arrives here in tremendous heart and it would come as no great surprise if she were to go close to landing a quick hat trick, but she may face sterner opposition than she encountered last time out in the shape of EYES RIGHT (best price 5-1) and HAWTHORNE COTTAGE (best price 14-1).

The former has cut her teeth over hurdles against some pretty stern opposition and she certainly looks to have been given a chance by the handicapper based on her opening two performances. Firstly, Alan King’s mare was up against the likes of Silver Forever and Floressa in a red-hot contest of its kind at Newbury back in November and although she didn’t manage to go with the main players late on, she certainly did enough to suggest she had a future over obstacles. Next time, she travelled like the most likely winner in another above-average mares’ contest at Fontwell until not quite getting home on the testing ground, but once again, in was an effort full of promise. Likely to be suited by better ground when the spring arrives, the daughter of Passing Glance should, at least, be more comfortable under today’s less demanding conditions that last time out and she has the quality to make her presence felt in some way.

The latter takes a little more explaining, but she has shown enough ability to warrant a small interest at her morning odds. After making all to land a Cheltenham bumper last season, Amy Murphy’s mare was pitched into the choppy waters of two Graded races at the Aintree and Punchestown festivals respectively and rather unsurprisingly, she found the competition way too hot to handle. Back among a more realistic level since embarking on a hurdling campaign, the daughter of Gold Well has shown a certain degree of encouragement without setting the world alight and although she got beaten a fair way in the end at Wetherby last time out, it was to be expected given the ride she got. In trying to keep up with the front-running favourite Rayna’s World, at the Yorkshire track, her pilot, Lucy Barry, compromised whatever chance she might have had by burning out her mounts petrol gauge before the second last and in the end, they had to settle for an honourable third behind the more patiently ridden Clondaw Caitlin. That said, the time figure of the race in question still worked out miles better than the one won by Theflickinglight over the same C&D, so based on those findings, the seven-year-old has be of some sort of interest at almost eight times the price of the favourite, especially if she’s ridden with a little more restraint.

WIMPOLE HALL (NAP) (best price 3-1) got a ride befitting of a 7lb claimer, who aren’t always tactical aware of what’s going around them, here last time out, and even though William Jarvis’ inmate has to be treated with a certain amount of caution with the same pilot on again, he still has to be worth a small risk to make up for the horror run he received on Saturday night.

Slowly away and cut adrift on the early stages, the son of Canford Cliffs made up the lost ground to race on the coat tails of the pace setters rounding the home bend and it was that point where the nightmare began to unfold. Trying to go through a gap that wasn’t there at the three pole, the seven-year-old got shuffled back through the field at the most critical part of the race and, as a result, ended any chance he may have had of winning. He did, however, run on well enough once untangling himself from the wreckage to suggest he would have played some sort of part in the outcome with a clear run and he’s afforded another chance to make amends in the hope his inexperienced pilot has learnt from her error of judgement.