Andy Holding's Saturday Racing Tips

A cracking opener to what should turn out to be a feast of quality National Hunt racing at this important two-day fixture and one of the most potentially exciting prospects during the meeting, GAILLARD DU MESNIL (best price 5-2), gets the vote in his bid to see whether he can bridge the gap from maiden company to Grade 1 level in one fell swoop. 

Beaten on his first outing for new connections at Punchestown, Willie Mullins’ inmate was well-backed to make amends when arriving at today’s Dublin venue over the Christmas period and he couldn’t have been any more impressive in justifying his skinny odds. Always travelling in a low gear compared to the rest, the five-year-old grey clocked an eye-wateringly good speed figure in disposing of a useful-looking field and it’s been good to see the form of the race back up the feeling that it was a very smart novices’ hurdle. Both the runner-up and third have dotted up since, and even the seventh and ninth, beaten the full length of a football pitch have finishing in the frame in maiden hurdles on their next starts. Clearly, today’s contest offers totally different challenges in terms of opposition and distance, but providing Paul Townend can switch him off early with the first time hood to help, hopefully the son of Saint Des Saints won’t fluff his lines to much.

Just in case the favourite fails to come up to scratch, ASHDALE BOB (best price 10-1) is offered forward as a decent each-way alternative based on the fact he’s looked a very strong stayer on his last two victories. A little disappointing on several occasions last season, Jessica Harrington’s gelding seems a much more mature individual on the evidence of his Graded win at Navan two starts ago and it’s that form which gives him a much better chance than his odds imply this afternoon. A faller when taking off too soon at the second hurdle in the Lawlors Of Naas last time out, the exercise will be to settle him in the early stages with a view to using his stamina to full effect late in the piece.

It’s usually about this time of year when the juveniles become mature enough to be competitive in handicaps against the older, more seasoned campaigners, so with that in mind, BREGUET BOY (best price 6-1) makes plenty of appeal in this fairly modest-looking affair.

Useful on the Flat between a mile and 1m2f, Keith Dalgleish’s gelding has taken pretty well to hurdles and following an opening success over today’s C&D back in November, he’s gone on to acquit himself with credit against a much better standard of opponent on his next two starts. No match for the wildly-impressive and classy Fiveandtwenty on his return to the Scottish venue a month later, the son of Requinto was a good deal more competitive on his latest venture when a respectable third behind improving novice Tommy’s Oscar at the last meeting. Badly hampered on the run-in when Goobinator parted the scene at the last, he kept on well enough despite losing valuable ground and momentum and that Class 3 0-130 handicap seemed a much stronger one in terms of quality than the one contested by today’s favourite, Balranald. Based on that theory, the four-year-old looks a far more attractive proposition at his morning odds.

ENTOUCAS (best price 6-1) did his chance no favours with an indifferent round of jumping by his standards in a similar race to today’s at Fairyhouse last time out, and with the hope that history doesn’t repeat itself, this classy young novice should take high rank based on the pick of his chase form so far this season. 

A 135-rated hurdler, Joseph O’Brien’s inmate has strongly suggested he will turn out to be an even better chaser and even though he’s yet to win in four starts over the larger obstacles, it’s surely only a matter of time before he puts matters right. No match for the smart Unexcepted at Tipperary on his first outing for 226 days, he chased home another high-class novice in the shape of Blackbow at Navan next time out, once again, jumping soundly in the main and seeing his race on well. Second for the third consecutive outing when seeing the back of Sizing Pottsie at Fairyhouse a month later, the son of Network went back to the Co Meath venue on his latest outing only to see his chance unravel courtesy of at least four notable errors. Despite those mistakes, the fact he still came back on the bridle approaching two out shows what kind of engine he has and if he can just get into a better rhythm here this afternoon over a track where the fences are nicely spaced out, the seven-year-old has the ability to figure prominently. 

A viciously competitive renewal of this valuable two-mile handicap and the two who make most appeal at their morning odds are DROP THE ANCHOR (best price 12-1) and GOLDEN JEWEL (best price 20-1). 

The former landed a big pot at the Listowel Festival back in September, clocking a smart speed figure in the process, and he may well have duplicated the feat but for being brought down while travelling well in a similar heat at Down Royal Next time. Sent to Fairyhouse to contest another competitive affair back in November, Pat Fahey’s gelding was once again victim of a large dollop of bad fortune as he almost got brought down by the fall of Éclair De Beaufeu at the second last and even though he picked himself off the floor to end up finishing a creditable third, the ground and momentum he lost was irretrievable. Working on the basis he would have gone close to winning with a clear passage, it makes perfect sense to believe he could turn around the tables with his old rival Advanced Virgo and at double the price, the theory can get handsomely rewarded. 

The latter was an unlucky runner-up in this race last season and it appears he’s had his whole campaign geared around coming back to the Dublin venue to gain compensation. An eye-catcher behind The Moyglass Flyer over the same C&D the time before, he surely would have obliged on his return visit had he obtained anything like a clear run and a repeat of wither of those two runs should easily see him outrun his odds.