Thursday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

COACH CARTER (best price 9-4) found two miles around here yesterday just on the sharp side, but it was still a fair effort under the circumstances and like many before him at this fixture in the past, he can make amends with a quick turnaround.

Lightly-raced over hurdles, Gordon Elliott’s gelding was always seen as a chaser and on the evidence of what we’ve seen of him in six starts so far to date, he has done more than enough to suggest he will pay his way in this discipline. A winner on chase debut at Listowel, the son of Sholokhov went on to put in his best performance on the clock at Ayr two starts ago and a repeat of something close to that level of form should see him go very close to bettering yesterday’s similar result on ground that clearly suits.

TRINCOMALEE (best price 7-1) hasn’t been seen out since flopping on soft winter ground at Wincanton back in February, but with connections seeking to bide their time and wait for faster conditions to resurface, Lucy Wadham’s largely consistent gelding can repay the patient approach.

A winner of four of his 18 races and placed on every other start other than an all-weather bumper and last time out, it’s fair to say his best efforts during the last three season have come on decent ground and his time figures also fall in line with the stats. Indeed, the clock says he hit a career-high at Uttoxeter two starts ago when he got the better of Thunderstruck in a protracted dual all the way down the home straight and with that effort coming off the back of a 160-day break, he’s very much one to catch when he’s fresh. A gap of 61 days since he last tasted action, therefore, should be taken as a positive and with a career record at today’s Midland venue that reads 1143, there’s every reason to expect a bold show.

LIGHT UP OUR STARS (best price 9-4) impressed with the way he tanked his way through his most recent success over today’s course last time out and there seems no obvious reason to oppose Tony Carroll’s gelding while seemingly in the form of his life.

A close-up third to subsequent winner Amber Island at Wolverhampton three starts ago, that form alone would give the son of Rip Van Winkle strong claims on its own, but then if you add in to the mix what he did here two weeks ago, his chances become even more appealing. In what turned out to be a very strongly run race for the grade, the six-year-old was never asked a serious question at any stage by Luke Morris and with his new mark more than workable given the ease of his victory, he’s fancied to go in again.