Today's Racing Tips from Andy Holding

The rain in the last 24 hours has meant there’s a totally different feel to most of the races at the Berkshire venue and one of the main benefactors to the change in the going is FIRENZE ROSA (best price 14/1).

Although she’s run some decent races on fast ground, her performance chart goes in a totally different direction once she encounters soft or heavy ground and on the last occasion when she faced such conditions over today’s C&D last May, she ran out a decisive winner of a similar race to the one she tackles here this evening.

Another positive is her re-acquaintance with Mollie Philips and with her high draw meaning she will have the luxury of getting over towards the far side of the track quicker than most, the daughter of Zebedee has every chance of outrunning her morning odds.

CHARGING THUNDER (NAP) (best price 11/8) has developed a nasty case of seconditus, but in his defence, all of his last performances have been of a fairly high standard and he’s afforded another chance to gain his due rewards over a C&D that saw him run out a comfortable winner last season.

Unlucky to bump into subsequent winner Shake A Leg on his opening bow of the campaign at Doncaster, David O’Meara’s gelding went on to fill out the same position at Lingfield, this time finding Ravens Ark just too strong late on.

Game to the last that day, he once again stuck his neck out all the way to the line once Topanticipation went by him at York last time out and with the time figure from that competitive heat very good for the grade, it would be hard to knock him in any way for running close to a career high.

Due to his one-pace, galloping nature, stiff tracks are always going to suit him best, and with that theory very much borne out by his overall body of work, a positive ride in the first-time cheekpieces look the order of the day.