Andy Holding's Tuesday Racing Tips

GOLDEN VOICE (best price 5-2) hasn’t run since shaping with a good deal of promise in a useful maiden at Newbury back in July, but with the race in question working out so well in the interim and the likelihood of a fair degree of improvement to come, a chance is taken William Haggas’ colt can overcome whatever slight issues he may have incurred since.

Very slowly away and green throughout the early exchanges at the Berkshire venue, the son of Havana Gold was left languishing in the rear at halfway, but once he began to master what was required during the second part of the contest, he came home to really good effect in the final two furlongs to finish on the coat tails of the main players. Not only has the winner, Bosh, gone on to achieve better things, the likes of Auditor, American Star, Sisters In The Sky, Mitbaahy, and most recently High Fibre, have all gone on to score subsequently and with today’s step up in trip on softer ground likely to suit (in-keeping with his sire), Golden Voice receives more than just a tentative vote of confidence second time around.

It’s been well documented that team Tizzard didn’t have the best of times during last season, but there have been one or two signs of late the green shoots of recovery are underway – Fiddlerontheroof winning at Carlisle Sunday as an example - and one of their other stable stars, ELDORADO ALLEN (best price 5-1), can go a long way to prove the wheels are firmly back on track in this traditional early-season west country prize.

A useful hurdler with a rating of 146, it was always hoped, however, that the son of Khalkevi would make into a better chaser and on the evidence of his first season over fences, he pretty much lived up to expectations. A storming start at Newton Abbot was followed immediately with a Grade 2 success at Cheltenham and then it was on to his first dip into Grade 1 company at Sandown to see if he could mix it at the highest level. Unfortunately for his supporters, he never really fired on the day and he was left to trail in last of the four finishers behind all-the-way winner Allmankind. Strictly speaking, the seven-year-old grey has quite a bit to find with Hitman on that showing, but as his next two runs were a good deal better against the mighty Shishkin, including when runner-up in the Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility he can bridge the gap between himself and his old rival given slightly better ground and knowing how well he goes fresh. Likely to be given another chance over 2m4f or even beyond later this season, today’s trip on a stiff track looks a good starting point and with his galloping companion, Fiddlerontheroof going in just a few days ago, hope is high this talented young chaser can begin his campaign in a similar fashion off what appears to be a competitive opening handicap mark of 151.