Tuesday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

BELL ROCK (best price 8/1) has yo-yoed between top-class handicaps and pattern races for the past year or so without striking gold, but having being given a decent chance by the assessor to be competitive in a race of this nature, Andrew Balding’s inmate is fancied to improve on his third-place in this corresponding race two years ago.

 Probably seen as more of a Newmarket specialist over the Rowley Mile throughout his career, the son of Kingman has, however, proven himself to be equally effective elsewhere and his performance when third in a quality listed affair at York last time out puts him bang in with a chance based on the figures.

Just as effective – if not more so – in big-field handicaps where they go a proper pace, the six-year-old can continue the rich vein of form for his stable who are currenting rolling at nearly a 30% strike rate.

A fascinating renewal of one of the week’s features and with a distinct changing of the guard developing in this division in the last 18 months or so, it would come as no surprise if the newest kid on the block, COLTRANE (best price 9/1), proved up to this level at the first time of asking.  

Winner of the Melrose Handicap as a three-year-old, the son of Mastercraftsman took a while to scale similar heights, but as we’ve seen in recent times, he’s actually managed to take his game to a whole new level. Runner-up in the Chester Cup back in May, he went on to land the Ascot Stakes at Royal Ascot and then he made the seamless transition to pattern company by capturing the Coral Marathon at Sandown on his latest start.

In what turned out to be a proper test at the trip courtesy of the very strong pace set by Not So Sleepy, the five-year-old sat way off the early gallop, but when once asked to close in on the leaders, he quickly assumed command before bounding clear to the tune of ten lengths. Unsurprisingly, the speed figure from that listed race 25 days ago was exceptionally good and, even allowing for the fact today’s assignment represents another steep step up the ladder, a performance similar in quality would put him seriously in the mix for further glory.

Tax The Max and Prairie Dancer set a reasonable standard in this listed contest being rated in the 130’s, but if there is to be an improver capable of muscling in on the act it could well be recent Ballinrobe winner TELECON (best price 9/1). 

Having his first outing over hurdles following two promising placed efforts in bumpers, the son of Telescope was a springer in the market to make a winning debut in his new discipline, and as it turned out, those who supported him at fancy odds never had a moment’s worry.

Always cruising along in the hands of Ricky Doyle, Mark Fahey’s gelding picked up the running going well two out and from that point onwards, he steadily drew right away from his toiling rivals. Despite being heavily eased late on, he still managed to run the fastest time figure on the card by some way and although today’s contest represents a serious step up in grade, connections are fully entitled to roll the dice with the promise of a good deal more to come. 

LEAPAWAY (best price 3/1) can throw in the odd bad run, but at the same time, he’s a pretty reliable conveyance at today’s Midland venue and repeat of something close to his best should see him go close to further bolster his course stats of 1131. 

A multiple winning hurdler, Philip Hobbs’ inmate has been just as productive over fences and his victory at Warwick in a quality Class 2 event two starts ago was a reminder of how good he can be on his day. The beneficiary of a strong pace that day, the son of Stowaway should receive a similar set-up here this evening with the likes of Bathiva and Texard in the line-up and providing he can avoid the odd mistake which sometimes creeps into his game, there’s every chance he will be bang there at the death. 

Ado McGuiness has made a habit of winning this valuable prize in recent years, so it makes perfect sense to look towards his long list of participants in this season’s renewal. Of the octet the Lusk handler sends to post, PIERRE LAPIN (best price 8/1) rates one of the most intriguing runners in the field and he is worth a small interest to see whether he takes to Ballybrit at the first time of asking. 

An 80k purchase from the Roger Varian yard, current connections haven’t quite had the return on their investment they were probably hoping for as of yet, but based on his three performances so far this season, there’s more than a decent chance that could all change sooner rather than later. An eye-catching fourth from the back of the field in a hugely-competitive mile handicap at the Curragh on his seasonal bow, the five-year-old ran a similar sort of race at the Co Kildare venue next time and even though he failed to build on those two promising efforts at Killarney last time, a slow start and the way the race panned out around that tight track didn’t really play into his strengths. Likely to be seen to much better effect over tonight’s stiffer track, he can prove a danger to all if he can work himself into a challenging position turning for home. 

CAIUS MARCIUS (best price 5/1) is very much the senior citizen of today’s party but, as he has proved on his last few starts, he’s not quite a busted flush just yet and with the front two in the market no world beaters by any stretch of the imagination, Nicky Richards’ 11-year-old can show the young whipper-snappers a thing or two while attempting three miles for the first time. 

A regular in much better races than the one he faces this evening for the past two years or so, the King’s Theatre gelding highlighted his current wellbeing by pushing the in-form Ask Paddington all the way to the line in a Class 2 contest at Market Rasen and with the well-fancied Broomfield Burg well beaten back in third, the form looks useful in context of tonight’s affair.

Rated in the 140’s in his prime, he has now slipped down to a mark he can exploit and providing he switches off and gives himself every chance of getting the trip, there’s every chance he will do so.