Andy Holding's Saturday Racing Tips

JOHNNY LITTLE LEGS (NAP) (best price 10-3) easily posted his best performance in a similar contest over today’s course last time out and repeat of that level of form should see Sean O’Brien’s gelding there or thereabouts in what looks a competitive race of its kind.

Nibbled at in the market for his handicap debut at Naas the time before, unfortunately the son of Getaway got brought down when going well in a general melee three out, but that tumble didn’t seem to affect his confidence too much based on his effort at the Co Tipperary venue a month later. Once again, the five-year-old went well through the contest and, despite making one or two niggly errors on the way around, he arrived there looking the most likely winner at the last. Unfortunately, he just got run out of the argument right on the line by the similarly well-backed Chalky White, but with his conqueror going on to run well again next time out and the time figure good, there’s no reason to question the validity of the display and he rates a confident vote to repeat the dose on his return visit.

A cracking post-Cheltenham Grade 3 Chase for novices and even though the likes of Zero Ten and Dunvegan will have their supporters, the one to be with here based on his time figure last time out is SIZING POTTSIE (best price 9-4).

Cut from a similar cloth to many of Alan Potts’ acquisitions, Jessica Harrington’s strapping gelding has just had the three outings over fences and after making a promising start to his new vocation at Leopardstown back in December, he’s subsequently gone from strength to strength. Making virtually all the running to record a facile success at Fairyhouse two months later, the son of Kapgarde employed same tactics to a similar destructive effect at Navan last time out and with the time figure pointing towards the performance being one of the best achieved by an Irish-trained two-mile novice so far this season, he’s clearly is a force to be reckoned with in this sphere. Likely to put today’s field to the sword from an early stage here this afternoon, a bold-jumping display can see the six-year-old keep his upwardly mobile curve going in the right direction at the main expense of Zero Ten, who also has the kind of skill set to suggest he’s extremely gifted when staying on his feet.

Myth Buster just about sets the standard in this beginners’ chase with his runs behind the likes of Samcro and Easy Game being full of promise, but not too far behind him in that regard is SALTY BOY (best price 11-2) and at the morning prices, he makes more sense from an each-way perspective.

A useful hurdler, rated 134 at his peak, the son of Stowaway has managed to transfer some of that ability across to his new discipline and runs behind the smart pair pre-Christmas, Fakir D’Oudairies and Ten Ten intimated of brighter times ahead. Switching yards in the interim, the seven-year-old shaped better than his finishing position suggested in a hot race behind Minella Indo at Navan two months and the winner going on to run a blinder in the RSA Chase at Cheltenham since along the likes of Captain CJ, Jimmil, Ifyoucatchmenow and Cap York all winning since, it doesn’t take a genius to work out the race at the Co Meath venue was one of the hottest races of its kind this season. After pecking at the first fence through no fault of his own 63 days ago, Will Farrell’s gelding took a while to regather his confidence in a race that was run at an unrelenting gallop throughout, so to end up finishing where he did after that early scare is testimony to his mindset. Hopefully this afternoon, he can negotiate the first few fences without any drama and providing he can get himself more competitive in the first mile or so, then he should turn out to be a significant factor when they are dishing out the medals.