Andy Holding's Wednesday Racing Tips

Quite a little tasty novices’ hurdle that contains several promising types and of those who have already shown up prominently in above-average contests, ARIZONA CARDINAL (best price 13-8) brings one of the most solid form lines to the party.

An Irish point winner for Colin Bowe, the son of Kayf Tara was snaffled up by new connections with a view of being a nice long-term chasing prospect and on the evidence of his display at Warwick on his rules debut, he appears to have been a shrewd purchase. Racing up with the speed right from the start at the Midland venue, Stuart Edmunds’ gelding traded punches with the well-backed favourite, Kyntara, for well over two miles, and it was only in the closing stages did his engine falter. Considering it was his first effort for 207 days, his performance deserves quite a bit of praise and with expected improvement in all to departments to be forthcoming with that all-important run under his belt, the five-year-old can hopefully see it out all the way to the line second time around.

REGINA DRACONES (best price 4-1) will need to be a bit slicker through the air than she was when scoring at Clonmel last time out, but with today’s longer trip likely to mean there will be less emphasis on speed, hopefully, the daughter of Kalanisi can get into the sort of rhythm that will allow her to be competitive at the business end.

Having unseated her rider on chase debut at Cork, a clear round was probably the number one priority at the Tipperary venue last time, but having found herself never too far away from the speed right from the start, she ended up taking the opportunity that arose with open arms. Jumping better as the race progressed, she managed to outstay her rivals in the final half a mile despite being a little deliberate at the last two fences and with the time figure she posted pretty good for a race of its kind, her performance was even better than it appeared at first glance. Better known for her exploits over much further over hurdles, if today’s test becomes a war of attrition, she is one of few in the field equipped with the required levels of stamina to see the job through.

A cracking mares’ only affair thoroughly deserving of a much higher status than a Grade 3 given the standard of the field and without doubt the most intriguing runner among nine due to go to post is Shewearsitwell. Hugely impressive both visually and on the clock at Tipperary when last seen well over a year ago, Willie Mullins’ mare would probably have the beating of today’s rivals if anywhere near her best, but whether you’d want to take 6-4 to find out is open to personal choice, so the safest option might be to play stable mate DYSART DIAMOND (best price 11-2) as a solid each-way alternative.

Probably not as classy as her main market rival, she does, however, have a background of plenty of hard-knocking contests under her belt and considering the conditions here yesterday were pretty testing, her ability to grind out a result isn’t a bad trait to have up her sleeve. Seen to good effect in a big-field handicap at the Listowel Festival, the daughter of Shirocco has taken her game to another level since and her victory in a listed contest over many of today’s rivals is testimony to her improvement. Time figure-wise, she’s right up there with the best of these and already proven that today’s track suits well in the past, she should give her supporters a fair spin.

SOUNDS RUSSIAN (best price 3-1) won in the style of a young chaser going places in a rush at Sedgefield last time out and if in anywhere near the same form here today’ Ruth Jefferson’s gelding looks the one to beat.

Promising on his chase debut at the Durham venue, the son of Sholokhov returned to the same track a month later, but this time he was up in trip and on much softer ground and ultimately, those dynamic ended up playing into his strengths. Off a good pace, the six-year-old cruised to the front after the second last and from that point, he was able to easily pull further clear of a useful field to register a fast time. Moreover, the runner-up and third have both advertised the form over the Christmas period since and with the strong possibility of today’s race being run a similar decent lick, this improving and lightly-raced type can stamp his authority on proceedings.