Wednesday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

CAPTAIN MORGS (best price 10-3) hasn’t been seen out since a disappointing at Kempton over the Christmas period, but he does return to the action fresh and raring to go and, on ground that will suit him much better than in did 107-days ago, the six-year-old is worth chancing at a track that he likes.

"A repeat of that level of form must put him right in the mix in this slightly less taxing-looking contest"

A game winner at Ascot in November and a solid runner-up in the Gerry Fielden Hurdle at Newbury later in the same month, it was easy to see why Nicky Henderson’s gelding was sent off favourite to land the competitive handicap at the Sunbury venue, but unfortunately the proper winter soft ground scuppered his chance and he ended up being well beaten.

Casting that effort to one side and concentrating on his first run of the campaign over today’s course, the son of Milan had finished a creditable third behind the likes of Guard Your Dreams and Coole Cody and a repeat of that level of form must put him right in the mix in this slightly less taxing-looking contest.

POCKET THE PROFIT (best price 5-2) did have the benefit of racing around the favourable inside of the track at Pontefract on his seasonal bow, but either way, he was still incredibly impressive, and he’s fancied to take advantage of his current wellbeing and keep the ball rolling for his in-form handler.

A big improver towards the backend of last season, it’s never easy for sprinter to continue where they left off but on the evidence of what we witnessed eight days ago, George Boughey’s gelding seems better than ever. The way he quickened up off a solid gallop at the Yorkshire venue suggested he has improved over the winter and even though there’s a small question mark over today’s quicker surface, he still may have the necessary qualities to offset that slight unknown.

DORKING LAD (best price 7-2) and Jay Been Why bring the best recent form to the party courtesy of their exploits over today’s C&D last time out and with the theory the former may have come out best of their mini-dual had things panned out a little better during the backend of the race, Tom Lacey’s gelding rates the percentage call at the morning odds.

Both went into the ultra-competitive handicap at the Sunbury venue with similar chances according to the betting and they ended up pretty much as the market suggested, finishing fourth and fifth respectively. However, the decision by Stan Sheppard aboard the son of Schiaparelli to race wide around the home turn – which was a little perplexing – ended up costing his mount at least north of five lengths and that was the difference between finishing outside of the frame.

The way he travelled up to that point suggested he would have played a big hand in the finish had he not got via the Cape, and if you also consider his two previous efforts, particularly the one when he chased home subsequent winner, Thunder Rock, his overall body of work reads well in the context of today’s race. Likely to be his race run of the season, the eight-year-old chestnut can bow out in a blaze of glory on ground that he likes and a track that suits.