Andy Holding's Wednesday Racing Tips

When a trainer decides to run a maiden in a pattern race it can usually mean one of two things, either they have totally lost their marbles, or the horse has been showing them the sort of signs at home to warrant such a bold policy. In the case of EPONA PLAYS (best price 20-1) in this listed contest, there are genuine grounds to believe Willie McCreery falls into the latter camp and the twice-raced filly is fancied to prove the Rathbride handler correct and seriously outrun her morning odds.

Sent off a 50-1 chance on her debut at Gowran last September, the daughter of Australia was soon on the back foot at the Co Kilkenny venue, but despite a poor early track position, she managed to stay on extremely strongly in the closing stages to finish within seven lengths of the hugely-promising Even So, who was unlucky not to capture a Group 3 contest at Naas back in March. A good deal shorter in the market for a competitive fillies’ maiden at Leopardstown a month later, she once again made life difficult for herself by being tardy out of the gates and by the time the field had swung out of the back straight, she still only had one behind. From the three-furlong pole, however, she really picked up the bridle with earnest and by the time she’s hit the line, she’d managed to run down all bar two of the 14-strong field. Leaving the strongest of impressions at the Dublin-based venue that she would do better over middle-distances as a three-year-old, she gets the chance to prove that theory correct in her biggest test to date, and despite her price suggesting she’s likely to finish last of the seven runners in today’s line-up, it would be a surprise if that turned out to be the case.

A strong-looking listed prize in which Joseph O’Brien appears to have a strong hand and of the pair the Co Kilkenny handler sends to post SAN ANDREAS (best price 9-2) just gains the slight vote.

One of the most improved horses of the winter all-weather scene at Dundalk, the Dark Angel gelding ended up the campaign with a rating of 106 courtesy of two hugely impressive victories over some above-average opponents. The first of those wins came at the expense of a competitive field of handicappers back in February and such was the time figure he posted that night, connections saw fit to pitch him against a better class of horse next time. Once again setting out to make all the running at the Co Louth track, the four-year-old sucked the like out of his two main market rivals, Laugh A Minute and stable mate No Needs Never and with those two opponents rated 100 and 105 respectively, it was a performance to suggest he’s improving at a rapid rate of knots. Whether he can translate the level of form he showed 103 days ago away from his favoured surface is open to debate (has won turf), but either way, he has the forward-going run style that can often pay dividends at today’s track at this time year and at the morning odds, he’s worth a punt to find out.

There could be quite a bit of potential on show in this maiden over the extended mile and of those to catch the eye, AHDAB (best price 16-1) makes the most appeal at the morning odds.

Nibbled at in the market before his debut at Kempton last September, the son of Shamardal ended up totally blowing the start and, as a result, he found himself stone last as the field turned for home. Despite showing signs of greenness, however, Ed Dunlop’s colt came home nicely in the home straight to pick off one or two scalps in that time frame and considered he achieved that feat without being subject to anything like a hard ride, his performance deserved to be upgraded. Likely to have improved significantly both mentally and physically from that initial experience 259 days ago, this classy-looking should easily leave that run behind and hailing from a yard who finally got off the mark for the season yesterday, he rates a decent bet in the with and without the favourite markets.

MARSHAL DAN (best price 15-2) proved no match for all-the-way winner Hieronymous over tonight’s C&D a week ago, but as he was the only one to offer any sort of resistance to George Baker’s improving gelding throughout the entirety of that well-run contest, he’s worth another shot at the prices in this similar affair.

A largely consistent performer in recent times, Heather Main’s gelding has only finished out of the money once in his last ten starts and with three of those solid efforts coming on an all-weather surface, it’s clear he doesn’t mind mixing up his game. Although he faces the in-form and still potentially well-handicapped Gossiping here tonight, it’s worth noting that his race at the Sunbury venue was a good deal quicker furlong-per-furlong than the one the favourite landed here seven days ago and with the prospect of another strongly- run race on the horizon courtesy of Swift Approval, Handytalk and Baby Steps in the field, that scenario could end up playing into the hands of this son of Lawman who is a strong stayer at the seven-furlong trip.