Andy Holding's Tuesday Racing Tips

RIBHI (best price 11-4) made heavy weather of landing short-priced favouritism on his final start of his two-year-old campaign, but the overriding impression of that performance was he may turn out to be a good bit better than the bare result suggested and he’s fancied to press home that viewpoint on his opening outing of this term.

Impressive when making a winning start to his career at the same Wiltshire venue, the son of Dark Angel was then a bit unlucky not to take a hand in the finish in a listed contest won by Noble Truth at Doncaster’s St Leger meeting, being forced to sit and suffered in behind a wall of horses at a crucial stage. Off the back of that eye-catching run, it was easy to see why he was a warm order 20 days later and although he ultimately justified his position in the market, the soft ground on offer than day rather blunted his turn of foot. That said, he did show fine battling qualities in winning ugly and with the frame that suggest he may be a totally different proposition in his second season in training, Marcus Tregoning’s grey can continue his progression with an opening victory.

Soft ground has rather checked the momentum of MEGALLAN (best price 9-4)  on more than one occasion throughout his short career, but when he does get his conditions, he can run to a very high standard and today’s race represents the perfect opportunity for John And Thady Gosden’s colt to make his return to action a winning one.

Runner-up to Hurricane Lane in last season’s Dante at York, the next big target for the son of Kingman was the French Derby at Chantilly, but as it turned out, a wide draw, soft ground and a poor trip through the race scuppered any chance he had of capturing classic glory. After that loss, there was a clear re-ground by connections as the four-year-old was dropped both in trip and grade at Salisbury for his next outing and although he was made to work hard for his victory that day, he impressed with his attitude in beating many older horses who went into the contest in top form. Very good on the clock at the Wiltshire track, he clearly is a very smart colt when conditions are in his favour, so even though there has to be an element of doubt lingering over his fitness levels at this stage of the season, he’s still worth a small interest at the morning odds.

HIGH FIBRE (best price 7-2) ended his two-year-old campaign on a real high by thrashing a highly-competitive field over today’s course in late October and with Ralph Beckett’s colt looking just the type his astute handler tends to do really well with, he looks one worth following not for today. But for the rest of the season.

Unlucky on his previous start at York, the son of Vadamos was well-backed to make amends despite the competitive nature of the field and as it turned out, the money in his direction proved spot on. Noted going well approaching the bushes, he really impressed with the way he went through the gears when meeting the rising ground and by the line he’d managed to put five lengths between himself and the rest of the field. Clocking every good time in the process, ahis revised mark of 85 probably is still a little short of his true capabilities going forward and he could be one that connections have ear-marked for the King George VI Handicap at the Royal meeting in June.

ABNAA (NAP) (best price 11-2) has only won a quarter of his 32 races, so he’s never one for maximum stakes, but there were signs here last time that he’s not too far away from win number five and at the morning prices, a chance is taken on Anthony Brittain’s gelding producing the goods.

Amazingly, the son of Dark Angel has had 13 starts since the turn of the year, but he’s still managing to run to a decent standard and there is a good case to be argued that he might have landed a seven-furlong handicap here two weeks ago with a clear run. Held up towards the rear – which is often the case – the five-year-old was noted going extremely strongly turning for home, but from that point onwards he ran into the equivalent of rush hour traffic on a Friday evening and he ended up finishing hard on the bridle just behind the main players. Clearly still in a decent shape on the evidence of that display, he now goes back over a trip that arguably suits him best and based on his overall record at tonight’s track and career speed figures, he looks one of the more overpriced runners in the line-up.