Wednesday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

CAIUS MARCIUS (best price 2/1) ultimately just didn’t have the basic speed to cope with younger legs over 2m4f at Kelso last time out, but with the return to three miles seen as a boost to his chances, one of the veterans of today’s field can prove he’s still has plenty to offer at this level.

Outpaced as the tempo reached fever-pitch at the Borders venue, Nicky Richards’ gelding looked like he was going to finish fourth at best on the run down to the last, but to his great credit he rallied to good effect on the run-in to finish a respectable distance behind the front pair.

On that evidence and of his first attempt over three miles previously, he appears to need a stiffer test nowadays and with Kansas City Chief almost certain to bowl along at a decent gallop on his first start of the campaign, the 11-year-old should get all the assistance he needs in that department before being produced for his late rattle.

FANTASY MASTER (NAP) (best price 10/3) caused a bit of an upset when landing a competitive handicap over today’s C&D last time out, but with that victory taking his record at the track to 1144231, Darryll Holland’s gelding is strongly fancied to continue to his love affair with his happy hunting ground.

A dual winner when trained by Michael Appleby, the son of Sepoy was only having his third start for his current handler when arriving here two weeks ago and despite being allowed to go off at 20/1 – which was a massive price given his overall profile – he proved good enough to beat a 16-strong field in the final of the Grassroots Sprint Series.

Not only to did he lower the colours of many in-form and improving sprinters at the Colwick Park track, he did so by producing a very fast time figure and considering his wasn’t stopping at the finish, it’s fair to say there could be even more to come.

Although he tackles totally different conditions today, the four-year-old has had plenty of positive results of a soft surface and with today’s race likely to be run at a good clip, his background over six-furlongs should stand him in good stead in the latter stages.

FARIBA (best price 3/1) has run respectably on his last two starts despite racing a little too keenly for her own good, but now returning to the scene of her only previous victory with the hood keep on, the daughter of Farhh can show off her talents to the full.

A game winner over today’s C&D back in August, Kevin Philippart De Foy’s filly was then aimed at a valuable pot at Goodwood on turf debut a month later and although she ran with some credit, it was a race that ultimately proved beyond her skillset.

However, the likes of Sirona, Bonnsie, and Enola Grey all went on to prove the form to be well above-average and she would have probably done the same herself had she not expended too much energy in the early stages of her latest encounter at Yarmouth.

With the greatest respect to her previous pilot, Benoit De La Sayette has a far better pair of hands in order to settle this exuberant filly and provided the first part of the race goes according to plan, her power and physique can prove the decisive factor at the business end.