Andy Holding's Wednesday Racing Tips

THE BLUE PANTHER (NAP) (best price 11-5) hasn’t managed to get his head in front yet in five starts, but he has run some commendable races in defeat and with three of his better efforts all coming on soft ground, today’s conditions should allow him to go close to breaking his maiden tag.

Third on his debut at Naas, Michael Mulvany’s gelding went on to better that finishing position by one when chasing home the smart Chief Little Hawk at Navan next time out, but it was his next effort back at the same track which has to go down as his most notable in terms of pure form. Up against subsequent Group 2 winner Law Of Indices and Cork maiden winner Street Kid, the son of Power managed to push the pair all the way to the line and a repeat of that display will surely see him competitive back in nursery company off a mark of just 81. Undone by the draw in the ultra-competitive Ballyhane Stakes at Naas over the weekend, he was noted doing some good late work against a huge track bias towards those drawn high and with a drop back to the minimum trip not seen as an inconvenience in any way, morning odds of 9-4 deserved to be snapped up.

LOUDEST WHISPER (best price 4-1) has been in splendid form by-and-large throughout the summer period and her good run of form looks set to continue around a track that has brought her a decent amount of joy on her three previous visits. 

Third on her opening gambit at the Collierstown venue in a 1m6f handicap this time last year, the daughter of Maxios has gone on to fill out the same position under both codes on her next two visits and with the pick of those efforts on the clock coming when she chased home Allora Yeats and Dollar Value a month ago (ran a good deal quicker than Aprils Joy), it’s clear that she gets spurred on by racing around the tight, left-handed track. A winner over hurdles at the Galway Festival in between times, Ed Delany’s mare stayed on particularly strongly on the soft ground she encountered that day and hailing from a yard who had a nice winner her last night, the locally-trained five-year-old mare should be good enough to hit the frame at the very least on ground that will suit her more than most.