Andy Holding's Wednesday Racing Tips

FLYING DRAGON (best price 12-1) never had the remotest chance to gather up a head of steam at Doncaster last time out due to being caught in heavy traffic, but as all his previous efforts suggested he was close to making a breakthrough for the season, he’s afforded another chance to make up for that disastrous run 28 days ago. 

Well-backed in the build-up to the legends race on Town Moor, everything appeared to be going fine heading down to the halfway point of the mile journey, but just as he was about to be brought into contention, he found his route blocked by many horses dropping back into his lap. Heavily eased once all hope had gone, the son of War Command’s finishing position doesn’t tell the whole story and he’s much better judged on his performance previously at Salisbury when just failing to get up on the line. Although today’s ground is a slight concern, as most of his best form has come on a better surface, he did run well under testing conditions at Windsor this time last year, thus alleviating the uncertainty. Either way, he looks too big to leave out of calculations and is worth a small interest at the morning odds.

SMALL PRESENT (NAP) (best price 5-2) was unlucky to bump into the progressive Pisgah Pike at Hexham last time out, and with the winner going on to finish an honourable second in a valuable handicap at Market Rasen next time, today’s assignment clearly rates a good bit easier for Sue Smith’s gelding. 

Having shown only glimpses of ability in three starts last season, there wasn’t too much to recommend the son of Presenting following a 235-day break at the Durham venue, hence the 16-1 price tag, but being the only one to offer any sort of resistance to the short-priced favourite in the latter stages, he ran way above expectations. Now that he’s finally found his feet, hopefully the five-year-old can continue on the same trajectory and even though he’s likely to be suited by distances further than the minimum in time, the speed figures and circuit splits of his latest encounter indicate he’s not short of boot in the short term.

There’s not much that separates MIACOMET (best price 11-4) and Tide Of Time on their latest clash here 34 days ago, but as the former might just be the more reliable of the pair, she gains the slight vote to uphold the form. 

Successful in a quality handicap at the Curragh this time last season, Jack Davidson’s mare has cut a fairly frustrated figure since, finishing runner-up no fewer than three times and with the latest coming in a hot race over today’s C&D against the red-hot A Step Too Far, the form looks extremely solid, Indeed, not only has the winner gone in again, but the likes of Master Matt and My Laurette have also trod a similar path and with underfoot conditions ideal for the daughter of Dandy Man to run up maximum capacity, her track stats 33622 should receive another positive boost.