Wednesday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

SUPER CUB (best price 7/1) arrives here with a consistent and reliable-looking profile of late and another prominent display appears likely retuning to a track where he ran a fine race two starts ago.

Yet to win for new connections since leaving Roger Varian, the three-year-old, however, has been knocking at the door and following an improved effort at Naas back in early May, he’s gone on to hit the frame on his last three outings. A fine third when racing on the slowest part of the track in the closing stages at Navan three runs ago, the son of Invincible Spirit filled out the same position over tonight’s C&D next time out and another decent effort ensued at Down Royal 19 days ago. Once again asked to challenge on the wrong part of the track in the final two furlongs, he kept on well against a horse who benefitted from racing widest of all and providing he gets a good break from his favourable low draw here this evening, it would be a surprise if he wasn’t vying for top honours again.

MAESTRO STICK (best price 12/1) shaped as though he would be all the better for the run on his return to action after an 83-day break at Leopardstown last time out and with today’s sort of opposition well within his capabilities based on his previous victory on the all-weather, Keith Clarke’s five-year-old is worth a stab at his rather generous-looking morning odds.

Really good on the eye and on the numbers at Dundalk back in March, the son of Frankel looked a good bit better than a mere 45-rated horse, and although he didn’t go on to prove that to be the case of his new mark at the Dublin venue, his performance wasn’t quite as bad as first feared. Understandably a little exuberant in the early stages 20 days ago, the five-year-old was still racing with the choke out on the turn for home and it came as no surprise that he wasn’t able to maintain the gallop all the way to the line. With the freshness now out of his system, hopefully he will settle a good deal better this time around and with tonight’s sharper track likely to see him to best advantage, he makes plenty of each-way appeal with most firms paying five places.

LAGUNA VENETA (NAP) (best price 2/1) impressed with the way she dismantled her rivals at Leicester last time out and with the speed figures also extremely complimentary of her easy four-length victory, Eve Johnson Houghton’s filly rates a strong choice to continue on the upward curve.

Unsuccessful when bidding to make all the running on her two previous starts in handicap company, the daughter of New Bay was ridden with a bit more restraint at the Midland venue and, after settling beautifully just in behind the pace for the first three quarters of the race, she had plenty left in the tank when asked to go and seal the deal in the closing stages. Clocking the fastest overall time figure on the seven-race card, she left the impression there could be a good bit more to come and with good-to-firm ground one of the main contributory factors in her success 13 days ago, connections have been very wise in their choice of nominating a track almost certain of providing a similar slick surface for their filly.