Andy Holding's Tuesday Racing Tips

Both LIGHT N STRIKE (best price 15-8) and Isolate have already clashed once so far this season, with the latter coming out on a top, but since then, Emma Lavelle’s gelding has improved significantly – which can’t be said for his main rival – and, as a result, he’s fancied to turn around the tables with his old foe.

Not quite good enough at the Sunbury venue a month ago, the son of Leading Light, however, was having his first start over fences and it has to be said he looked a totally different horse as a result of that initial experience next time out at Plumpton. Always travelling easily at the Sussex track, the five-year-old was pretty foot perfect for the extended two-mile journey and when asked to go and seal the deal after jumping two out, he found a ready turn of pace to draw clear for an impressive 19-length success. In doing so, he not only clocked the fastest overall speed figure on the card, he also managed to run the last circuit 4.6 seconds quicker (roughly 25 lengths) than the 144-rated Annual Invictus, so using those numbers as a guide, this lightly-raced type should have enough in hand to offset the slight rise in the ratings in the hands of the excellent Jack Wildman (rides much better than his strike rate suggests).

CALIDAD (NAP) (best price 11-10) may not have won at Fontwell last time out, but at the same time, he must have pleased connections immensely, and with the strong possibility that today’s flat, left-handed circuit over an easy two-miles will play more into his strengths, the son of Cafilet can keep the excellent run of results going for his in-form handler.

Having looked a little bit of a short runner on both starts last season, an internal problem he was found to have was remedied in the off-season, and based on the outcome of his most recent effort at the Sussex venue, the end product looks to be extremely positive. Setting off at a strong pace 16 days ago, Harry Whittington’s gelding appeared to have most of his rivals at full stretched going down the back straight for the second time and although he didn’t quite have enough left in the locker to repel the eventual winner, he still kept on well to fend off the well-fancied Wiseguy for an honourable second. Given the gallop he set early, unsurprisingly the race was run in a fast time, and with today’s contest looking to be a considerably weaker version, it would come as a bit of a surprise if he couldn’t dominate this sort of race from start to finish.