Andy Holding's Saturday Racing Tips

Blackbow has the strongest from coming into this novices’ hurdle, but at the same time, he’s beginning to become a little expensive to follow so the safest option is to play THE PRIESTS LEAP (best price 11-2) as a solid each-way alternative.

Promising in a couple of bumpers, Arthur Moore’s gelding made his hurdling debut over today’s C&D 27 days ago and even though he was sent off a 25-1 poke, he managed to run way beyond his market price. Setting out to make the running, the son of Flemensfirth was still going well on the approach to the last, but unfortunately he made a vital mistake that allowed his main market rival Jungle Junction to pick up the pieces on the run-in. Still, that was a massive improvement from the six-year-old and providing he can avoid making any costly errors on his return to the Co Meath venue this afternoon, he should once again be in the mix.

MCFABULOUS (NAP) (best price 11-4) showed what an engine he possesses when bolting up at Market Rasen last time out and even though he faces a big field with plenty of progressive types in its midst, he rates a confident choice to press home his class.

Winner of the Grade 2 champion bumper at Aintree, Paul Nicholls’ gelding was understandably a warm order to make a winning hurdling debut at Chepstow back in November, but he ended up fluffing his lines on the proper winter ground. Once again testing conditions found him out in the Kennel Gate Novices’ Hurdle at Ascot next time out, but that still didn’t prevent punters piling into him on his latest start at the Lincolnshire track, and this time he delivered the goods. Always going well, the strapping son of Milan seemed to really appreciate the better ground and step up in trip when trouncing the well-backed Hometown Boy, and with overall time figure and backend sectionals suggesting the front two were trapping along at a fair old rate, he quickly put behind the two previous slightly below-par displays. Backed at all rates to win this final only to find its original home, Sandown, unfit to race last weekend, that occurrence might turn out to be a blessing in disguise as this lovely-moving five-year-old has less chance of getting bogged down than he might have done at the Esher track.

Competitive stuff, but a chance is taken that GARO DE JUILLEY (best price 33-1) can bounce back to something like his best form now he finally gets a chance to race on his favoured quick ground.

Although he okay to a point at Ascot last time out, he wasn’t really enjoying the testing underfoot conditions and the same has applied virtually all winter. That said, he was still good enough to finish a respectable fourth in a quality novices’ handicap at Cheltenham on trials day, and with the winner, Simply The Betts and second, Imperial Aura, showing how good that form is during this week, he’s clearly been running better than his form figures suggest. Looking at his overall profile, it’s significant that both his two wins in this country have come on genuine good ground, so providing the Surrey venue doesn’t get too much rain this afternoon, the eight-year-old can outrun his odds.

David Pipe had a fairly quiet four days at Cheltenham by his standards, by the Master of Pond House looks to have bright prospects of ending the week on a high as he saddles MAIN FACT (best price 9-2) and REMASTERED (best price 12-1) in this ultra-competitive field.

The former has been transformed since switching stables and he completed a quick four-timer with arguably his best performance at Wetherby last time out. Coming with his trademark late surge, the son of Blame skipped away from a competitive field to score in commanding fashion and with the time figure backing up the visual impression of the display, he clearly is going from strength-to-strength. Furthermore, the seven-year-old is already proven under today’s conditions with a game victory here over two miles back in January and with a step up in trip expected to bring about further improvement, he looks sure to go well in the hands of Fergus Gillard, who seems to have struck up a good association with his mount.

The latter has been a shade disappointing at times this season, but he’s also shown a better side to his game and in hope that he can run to the same level as he did at Doncaster last time out, a chance is taken with the seven-year-old gelding. An excellent runner-up in a competitive handicap on soft ground at Chepstow back in December, the son of Network went on to run inexplicably badly at Sandown next time out after wind surgery. Whether he was still feeling the effects of that procedure is anyone’s guess, but he bounced back to something approaching his best form at the Yorkshire track two weeks ago and he must have some sort of chance here based on that form. Impressing with the way he travelled throughout the race, the chestnut couldn’t quite go with the front two after the last, but he still managed to finish miles clear of the rest and if the cheekpieces first time work the oracle, a positive show could well be in the offing.

LEGAL EYES (best price 4-1) left his previous poor run behind in no uncertain terms by bolting up over today’s course last time out and although he drops back down a full half a mile on his return visit, he possesses the sort of pace which suggests he should be just as effective. An all-the-way winner on his seasonal reappearance at Plumpton in the first-time tongue-tie, Ben Pauling’s gelding bombed out big time on his next start at Sandown, but it subsequently transpired that he’d suffered an issue with his wind. Operated on prior to shipping up at the Surrey venue last time out, the son of Court Cave bounced back to his best when once again making virtually all the running in a powerfully jumping display and with the runner-up, Kilfinum Cross, going on to endorse the form in the best possible fashion at Cheltenham this week, the fast time figure he recorded on the day looks totally believable.