Andy Holding's Tuesday Racing Tips

TIME INTERVAL (NAP) (best price 13-8) suffered a bit of a bump in the road when a defeated favourite at Chelmsford last time out, but prior to that slight hiccup he’d been quite impressive over today’s course, so a chance is taken Roger Charlton’s gelding can bounce back to form on his return to the Midland track.

Stepped up in trip and employed with new front running tactics here back in July, the son of Adaay made every yard of the running to score in a fast time and with the form of the race working out well subsequently, it was easy to see why he was a short price to repeat the dose at the Essex venue two weeks later. Unfortunately, his restlessness in the stalls led to him slightly missing the kick and, as a result, he could never quite dominate the race as he did on his previous outing. With only two rivals today and likely to go into the stalls last, hopefully he shouldn’t have too many problems beforehand or trying to get to the early lead and if so, he will take some pegging back at the head of affairs.

MERROIR (best price 11-2) has quite a bit to find according to the official figures in this listed fillies’ contest but should does have valuable course form to call upon courtesy of her victory here back at the main meeting in July and that could be enough for Joseph O’Brien’s filly to bridge the supposed gap.

Another off the production line of rapid improvers from her Owning Hill base, the daughter of Born To Sea has worked her way through the ranks from the humble beginnings of a 0-65 handicap at Gowran to where she finds herself today. Along the way the four-year-old filly captured a ultra-competitive handicap at the festival off a mark of 77 and that victory meant she deserved a shot at something more substantial next time. Sent to the Curragh to tackle quite a few fillies who had been plying their trade in Group races, she travelled as well as anything until just being outpointed by the rapidly-improving Pineapple Express in the closing stages, but she did keep on well to finish a close-up third. Time figure-wise, Merrior has proven she can handle a well-run race several times so far this season and with many of those of her bettered fancied and higher rated rivals not really showing the sort of form that is justifying their reputations at present, this game and likeable filly makes plenty of each-way appeal at the morning odds.