Andy Holding's Wednesday Racing Tips

Time may tell PORT OR STARBOARD (best price 15-8) bumped into a very smart young novice in the shape of Lebowski over today’s C&D on his debut, so even though he faces two useful recruits from the bumper division on his return to the Welsh track, Bernard Llewellyn’s gelding rates a confident choice to put the valuable experience he gathered that day to good use. 

Just a low-grade handicapper on the Flat, the son of Epaullete did, however, prove that he copes well with soft ground on his final two starts of the season and on the evidence of what we saw of him 10 days ago, he’s transferred that ability over to his new discipline with a little bit extra added into the bargain. In what turned out to be a very strongly run race of its kind, the four-year-old stayed on nicely in the latter stages to fill out the runner-up berth behind the impressive winner and even allowing for the fact he was beaten by six lengths, his speed figure strongly suggesting he’d run way beyond anything he’d previously shown before. Having proved he can jump well at pace and cope with today’s demanding track, it will take an above-average effort by any of his opponents to prevent him from scoring at the second time of asking.

TRANSFER FRIENDLY (best price 5-2) shaped particularly nicely for a horse who didn’t appear to have any great expectations attached to his chance on his debut for new connections here last time and providing the form of his opening gambit behind Lebowski is high aloft by Port Or Starboard in the first race on the card, confidence in Harry Whittington’s gelding troubling the front two in the market will be even greater than at the time of writing. 

Picked for fairly cheap money (12k) by today’s standards after finishing runner-up in an Irish point, the son of Mahler was pitched into what appeared quite a competitive novice event over today’s course 10 days ago, but he seemed to cope with all that was thrown at him over the two-mile journey and that solid grounding should stand him in good stead for his return visit. For ostensibly a three-mile chase prospect, he showed quite a bit of speed in a race that was run at a proper gallop, so with today’s test likely to be run at a slightly more mundane pace, he should easily be capable of cruising around until being delivered to challenge for top honours at the business end.

Whether yesterday’s Fakenham winner Salley Gardens goes again 24 hours on remains to be seen, but either way, GUERNESEY (best price 4-1) arguably has the best form coming into today’s contest and at the morning prices, he makes loads of each-way appeal. 

Shaping as though badly in need of the run on his seasonal debut at Uttoxeter (said to be quite a stuffy horse), Philip Hobbs’ grey was dropped back in trip for his latest encounter at Exeter and despite being sent off a 14-1 outsider, he ended up making light work of his eight rivals. Despite the smallish field, the gallop was honest and having been held up for a late run, he showed a useful turn of foot in between the last two hurdles to pull clear of several in-form rivals. Since the race a month ago, the likes of Celestial Force and First Quest have both gone on to boost the form/speed figure and today’s ground on the easy side of good seen as just about perfect, this long-term chase prospect can continue his progression.