Thursday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

PILSDON PEN (best price 2-1) was unlucky to bump into a similarly well-handicapped rival at Fontwell last week, but it was a run still deemed another step in the right direction and he can continue the good recent work in a race lacking any great strength in depth. 

Being out of Helmet, it was hard to envisage Jeremy Scott’s gelding making an impact at the winter game and that theory looked to be going that way until he popped up at 80-1 at Wincanton on his fourth start over hurdles. Seemingly relishing the soft ground that day, there appeared no fluke about the result (reasonable time figure for the grade) and with the third home, Midnight Callisto, winning easily since, the form was solid enough to see him a warm order to follow up on his latest encounter. Despite travelling best for majority of the 2m3f journey at the Sussex track, he couldn’t quite get the job done, but with the pair well clear of the rest, it’s easy to come to the conclusion he probably ran every bit as well in defeat. Now we know he stays beyond two miles well, the options have opened up nicely for the five-year-old and with today’s flat, right-handed track set to suit once again, he can get favourite backers off to a dream start. 

TIPPERARY TIGER (NAP) (best price 7-4) was just narrowly run out of the argument at Wolverhampton last time out when attempting a furlong beyond his best, but now returning to a C&D where he is unbeaten in two previous starts, Karl Burke’s gelding can keep his 100% record intact. 
Successful on his first visit to the Midland venue back in December, the son of Mayson returned a month later to contest a similar Class 4 contest and following a strong gallop from the start, he stayed on powerfully in the closing stages to eventually overhaul the more prominently ridden Palifico. Although it may have seemed a standard victory at the time, the time figure revealed it was anything but and if today’s race sets up anything like it did a month ago, the four-year-old is going to be very difficult to beat.