Andy Holding's Tuesday Racing Tips

MERRY MISTRESS (best price 7-1) was a shade disappointing when a beaten favourite at Wincanton last time out, but if you cast that effort to one side and concentrate more on her C&D success the time before, David Dennis’ mare has a better chance of regaining the winning thread than her morning odds suggest.

Largely consistent since switching her attentions to hurdles, the daughter of Getaway was stepped up in trip after a couple of useful efforts over two miles in the Autumn and that decision instantly reaped maximum rewards with her running away with a competitive handicap here in November. In what turned out to be a very strongly-run event for the grade, the six-year-old easily posted her best set of numbers in recording a cosy five length victory and with the runner-up and fourth both going in since, it becomes even more difficult to fathom why she wasn’t a bit more of a force at the west country track three weeks later. Maybe she may be one of those horses that just comes alive at a certain track - that’s the second time she has excelled at the Midland venue - but either way, she looks to be the wrong price whichever way you strip it down and she deserves to be played accordingly.

Of those towards the front end of the market, there’s little doubt Brilliant Present is the correct favourite based on his performance at Taunton last time (winner and runner-up won again since), it’s just a case of whether he sees out today’s trip, something which he failed to do on his seasonal debut at Huntingdon (may have neede3d the run). Greenrock Abbey has also shaped with a bit of promise in two useful novice events and he too, is another one who comes into calculations.

Whether RED ROOKIE (NAP) (best price 13-8) would have beaten Brave Seasca at Ascot last time out had he stayed on his feet is up for debate, but one thing is for sure, he certainly going as well as anything at the time, and that theory is worth pursuing despite today’s contest being a similarly tough one on paper.

A big eye-catcher on his chase debut at Chepstow, the form of that race at the Welsh venue had worked out so well it was easy to see why he was backed to the exclusivity of everything else at the Berkshire track and up until the point where he crashed out six fences from home, he’s legion of supporters must have been on fairly good terms. Obviously, a fall such as the one he took is a potential confidence-crusher – and that has to be factored into the bet at a short price – but the general consensus is the son of Black Sam Bellamy will easily leave behind his current chase mark of 134 at some stage and today’s contest could be the place where the floodgates begin to open.