Andy Holding's Boxing Day Racing Tips

BARFORD DIVA (best price 18-1) shaped with a huge amount of encouragement on her racecourse debut over today’s C&D 12 days ago and in a race which appears if anything a shade weaker on paper, even just a minuscule portion of improvement should see Mitchell Hunt’s filly easily outrun her morning odds.

Sent off 300-1 in what looked an above-average contest at the west country venue, the daughter of Kingston Hill was certainly in the sort of early position her odds suggested, and even coming out of the back straight she still had plenty on her plate. However, come the business end, she made some nice in roads towards the main players and even though ultimately she never threatened to offer any sort of impact regards making the frame, a sixth-place finish at the death was by no means an insignificant effort. Indeed, if you break down her final circuit time in comparison to most of the field, her sectionals work out second best behind the easy winner Holly and it’s also worth pointing out she would have beaten by the classy mare Rainyday Woman by roughly ten lengths if you put the two novice events together using the split screen system. All in all, it was cracking performance by a horse having her first career start and providing she’s ridden with a more positive attitude on her return visit, there’s every chance she can make some sort of impact against her own sex.

GOOD BOY BOBBY (best price 7-1) has only tasted defeat once in four starts at today’s venue and following yet another solid performance in a top-flight handicap chase in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle last time out, it’s easy to make a cast-iron case out for Nigel Twiston-Davies’ charge back at his happy hunting ground.

A winner over today’s C&D two starts ago, the son of Flemensfirth was a warm order to follow up at Gosforth Park a month later and although he ultimately failed in his bid to justify favouritism, his effort in defeat could hardly be described as a backward step. In what turned out to be an extremely solid test at the trip, the eight-year-old had to be carried out on his shield in trying to pass the ultra-willing Aye Right in the final half a mile, but with the pair well clear and the race numbers very good, a repeat of something similar should be good enough to see him bang on the scene again.

It’s probably fair to say Epatante owes much of her position in the market to her reputation rather than what she achieved on her seasonal return at Newcastle, so with that in mind, the value may lie elsewhere in the shape of TRITONIC (best price 7-2) who once again showed at Ascot recently that he’s a pretty useful customer when he’s on-song.

A quality juvenile from last season, just short of top class, Alan King’s inmate shaped well on his first outing of the season in the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham a month ago and that run clearly did him the world of good as he was able to turn around the form with the likes of No Ordinary Joe and West Cork by some considerable margin. Always going well at the Berkshire venue, the son of Sea The Moon just had to be kept up to his work in the closing stages once he assumed command after the last and with that victory taking his career record on a right-handed track to the perfect 3-3, this C&D winner looks booked to run a massive race despite having to find plenty according to the official assessor.

The race won by Mister Watson at Linfield earlier this month was noted for its useful speed figure and having gone well for nine tenths of the 2m4f journey, NIBLAWI (best price 10-1) makes more appeal than his odds suggest in this much weaker-looking contest.

Having his first start over hurdle for new connections since plying his trade in France, Adam West’s gelding looked as dangerous than most as the field spun for home at the Surrey venue 18 days ago, but given the relentless nature of the race in question, he just couldn’t quite maintain the gallop all the way to the line. However, he was by no means disgraced in finishing just behind the main three players and with his current mark dropping way below some of his better displays when with Neil Mullholland, the son of Vale Of York looks in good enough shape to roll back the years.

TAKE ALL (best price 13-2) was the only one capable of offering any sort of resistance to Riviere D’etel in a quality Grade 3 at Navan last time out and with that mare likely to prove good enough to hold her own at the very highest level in the big novice event half an hour earlier, Seamus Fahey’s is fancied to do his bit for the same form line in handicap company.

Useful over hurdles despite not scaling any great heights, the six-year-old has, however, already take his game to a completely new level in just three starts over fences and his latest effort was by some way his best. Although 12 lengths the poorer behind Gordon Elliott’s crack mare at the Co Meath venue, the time figure revealed the race was by far and away the best two-mile novice chase so far this season either side of the Irish Sea and with big distance back to the third and fourth respectively, his effort in defeat has to go down as a thoroughly commendable one. A solid jumper who’s already proven himself in a decent-sized field on his first outing over fences, today’s examination shouldn’t pose too many issues despite his lack of experience in this sphere and at the morning odds, he makes loads of appeal.

BALLYBREEZE (NAP) (best price 7-4) has shaped much better than the bare form has intimated on all three starts over hurdle so far to date and with his opening handicap mark of 111 looking more than exploitable, Samuel Drinkwater’s gelding can strike another notable blow for his in-form handler. 

Unlucky on his only start in the point-to-point field, the son of Schiaparelli has taken a while to settle into the rhythm of racing under rules, sometimes being a little keen for his own good, but since being switched off out the back and given plenty of time to relax, he’s been able to run to a far more respectable standard. Although he failed to land a meaningful blow to the likes of North Lodge, Bombs Away and Richmond Lake at Aintree last time (all three rivals are all well above average novice rated 130+), he was noted doing some good late work without being unduly punished and it’s that performance which makes him an intriguing contender here today. Clearly a horse with quite a bit of ability, hopefully his full potential will be realised sooner rather than later and today’s task doesn’t appear too taxing in the context of the tasks he has faced previously.