Andy Holding's Friday Racing Tips

Not a huge amount to split TORN AND FRAYED (best price 5-4) and Faivoir on their recent Cheltenham clash, but considering the latter already had the benefit of a previous run, there’s a strong possibility Nigel Twiston-Davies’ gelding will confirm the form in even more emphatic fashion this time around. 

A useful novice hurdler last season, rounding off the campaign with a rating of 132, the son of Califet was sent into battle at the toughest place to start a chasing career and he came through the test with flying colours, keeping on well in the latter stages to finish a three-length third behind the smart Annual Invictus. Moreover, his performance a month ago was rubber-stamped with a quality speed figure – much better than the one achieved by Third Time Lucki on the same card – and with the winner and the fifth-placed horse (Back On The Lash), both going on to advertise the form subsequently, it would be disappointing if this likeable seven-year-old didn’t follow suit. 

CAPTAIN MORGS (best price 2-1) ran really well in a strong-looking 2m5f handicap at Cheltenham a month ago, but at the same time, he also shaped like a horse who wouldn’t be out of place dropping back in trip and he rates a confident choice in his bid to back up that theory here this afternoon. 

A winner over today’s C&D this time last year, Nicky Henderson’s gelding was subsequently upped in trip with a view to contest the EBF Final at Sandown in March and although he ended up being one of the main fancies on the day, he totally fluffed his lines on ground described as too soft for his liking. A silly unseat ended his season under a bit of a cloud but of what we saw of him 28 days ago, everything seems to be back in full working order. Not quite seeing out the journey in a strongly-run environment, he also should prove better for the run and with the likes of Coole Cody (may have won the Paddy Power Chase but for falling two out), and Art Approval both boosting the form/time figure from the race in question, the son of Milan makes plenty of appeal in his bid to rebuild his reputation. Leoncavallo looks the obvious threat based on his effort behind the smart Soaring Glory here last time, but whether he has the scope and progression of a horse four years younger with fewer convictions is open to debate. 

YOUNG BUTLER (NAP) (best price 11-8) would have pleased his set of connections in every way on his hurdling debut over today’s C&D a month ago and with the numbers he posted that day strongly suggesting he’d run-up to a pretty high standard, it will take a good performance from one of his rivals to lower his colours should he run to the same level on his return visit. 

Fourth in a decent Newbury bumper in March, Emma Lavelle’s gelding was nicely backed to make a winning start in his new discipline and although he ended up justifying that support to a degree, he ultimately proved no match for the easy winner, Stage Star. That said, he was trying to keep up with a horse who has high aspirations for the rest of the campaign and even though he finished 11 lengths behind the impressive winner, his overall time figure and final circuit sectionals suggested he would have won the first division of the same novices’ hurdle won by Mr Glass. Based on those calculations, the son of Yeats holds a clear form edge over today’s field and with the likelihood also that he would have come on considerably for that initial outing, this promising chasing type has no reason to fear anything outside of the nine hurdles in front of him. 

Trainer Luke Comer has had his team in pretty decent shape for quite some time now and the Co Meath handler, who had another winner here the other night, can strike again with the lightly-raced DR PATRICK (best price 15-8) in what appears a truly awful race. 

Having shown next to nothing in six starts on the turf, it was easy to see why he was sent off at 25-1 on his all-weather debut and although he never really looked like defying his position in the market, he still ran a good deal better than expectations. Racing towards the front of the pack chasing the tearaway leader Limit Long, the four-year-old failed to hold his position as the runners turned for home, and as a result, he could never get back into the contest to land a meaningful blow. That said, the way he hit the line hinted of better times ahead – especially with that all-important run under his belt – and providing he works his way into a position whereby he’s close enough to the speed turning for home, he should have enough running in his legs based of what we saw of him two days ago to go on and land a race of this nature.