Andy Holding's Saturday Racing Tips

It’s significant that HIGHWAY ONE O ONE (best price 5-1) has run two of his best races in recent times over today’s C&D and fact, combined with his excellent performance at Kempton last time out makes him a tempting proposition on his return to Prestbury Park.

Runner-up to Kildisart in the big novices’ handicap on this card last season, Chris Gordon’s inmate went on to finish a creditable third to Mister Whitaker in a Grade 2 handicap on his final outing of the campaign and although he’s failed to win on four attempts this term, three of those efforts have yielded fine place results in some hard-knocking handicaps. Indeed, his latest show at the Surrey venue over the Christmas period when he just didn’t quite see out the three miles after looking like a winner two out suggested he’s right on top of his game and with his yard continuing his tick along nicely in the last few weeks, there’s every chance this likeable eight-year-old will provide the jovial Morestead handler with more cheer.

Champagne Well probably just about sets the standard courtesy of his exploits at Cheltenham in recent times, but whether he will have the requisite stamina to cope with the rapidly-improving BOSS MAN FRED (NAP) (best price 9-4) is open to question and Dan Skelton’s inmate receives a confident vote to make the transition into a Graded company a smooth one.

A narrow-margin winner on hurdles/stable debut at Kempton back in November, the six-year-old continued his progression with a more polished display at Southwell next time out, seeing out the three-mile trip well in testing ground. Pitched into a handicap off a mark of 124 over today’s C&D last time out, the son of Dubai Destination ended up making a mockery of that assessment with a performance of some quality and even though it must have been tempting for connections to further exploit just a 10lb rise, the fact that they are coming straight here and bypassing a potential penalty kick, tells you all you need to know of the regard he’s held in at home.

Willie Mullins clearly means business in this Grade 3 mares’ novice contest sending three strong candidates to post, but the one who makes the most appeal at the prices away from the Closutten battalions is GLOBAL EQUITY (best price 16-1)

One of the more inexperienced members of the cast, Joseph O’Brien’s mare was pitched into the deep for her hurdles debut at Limerick last time out but that boldness paid off in spades as she managed to finish a close-up third in a warn Grade 3. Moreover, the way she stayed on from the last to the line suggested she’d be even better with a more severe test and with today’s race looking like it should be run at a decent clip, the daughter of Shirocco should be capable of holding her own and outrunning her odds.

PROTEKTORAT (best price 11-2) quite rightly got reinstated after a bizarre piece of stewarding demoted him from a worthy victory here last time out and now that Dan Skelton’s inmate has gone and proven that he can find the necessary required to go and seal the deal on a stiff track, he’s fancied to confirm the form of his latest performance.

Runner-up on his two previous starts when ridden with nerves of steel over two miles, the son of Saint Des Saints was once again dropped out the back door with a view to pouncing late over an extra half a mile, and after travelling strongly throughout in a race run at a sound tempo, he stayed on stoutly up the hill to fend off the persistent challenge of the useful Imperial Alcazar. Clearly the addition of hood this season has helped the buzzy five-year-old switch off a good deal more than in this past, and with a cruising speed and overall profile to suggest he’s almost certain to come there going well with every chance off the home bend, he rates a solid each-way play at the morning prices.

As you’d expect, a typically wide-open affair for this sought-after prize, and QUARENTA (best price 7-1) appeals as one who should thrive in such a competitive environment.

Jonjo O’Neill’s gelding has a decent record since sent chasing and following a pipe-opener at Warwick, he kick-started new campaign proper with a silky-smooth success in a small-field event down at Fontwell. Back into much deeper waters at Kempton last time out, the son of Voix Du Nord stayed on eye-catchingly from three out to finish a never-nearer third in a keenly-contested handicap at Kempton and with the time figure of the race decent, the form has a good feel to it. Moreover, as all his best form has come on a sounder surface that what he encountered at the Surrey venue, there’s every hope that he’ll improve for today’s better conditions and with his yard just beginning to crank it up a gear or two in the last few weeks, the eight-year-old is expected to go close under a cool ride from Jonjo Jnr.