Saturday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

MIDNIGHT RUN (best price 11/4), despite seven runs over fences, is very much still a work in progress in his new discipline, but there’s a strong case to be made that he holds the best form coming into this rather sub-standard-looking Grade 2 and he can make his mark with a clear round.

A useful hurdler just short of top class, the son of Well Chosen, however, was always expected to make up into a better chaser and on the evidence of some of his performances so far to date, that view has come to fruition.

Runner-up to the smart Enniskerry at Roscommon two starts ago, the eight-year-old faced a similar set of rivals over today’s course last time out and even though he failed to better that finishing position, his close-up third to the useful pair, Adamant Approach and Visionarian, reads well in the context of today’s race.

Apart from the improving Hallowed Star, the rest look some way short of the standard required and providing he can keep in touch with his main market rival, who is likely to make the running, he is fancied to give it a good thrash in the latter stages.

ALBERT’S BACK (best price 13/2) returned to something approaching his best at Wetherby on his seasonal bow last time out and now back to the scene of arguably his most impressive victory to date, the eight-year-old can keep up the decent recent strike rate of his yard.

A hurdler very much on the rise back in 2020, Michael & David Easterby’s inmate got to a career high of 141 after slamming a useful field over today’s C&D, but after a crunching fall on his very next start at Wetherby, he rather lost his confidence and didn’t look the same horse for the thick end of a year. However, his latest effort back at the Yorkshire venue was more in line with former glories and considering both trip and ground wouldn’t necessarily have played into his strengths, his performance deserved upgrading.

Looking at the way the market has developed in the last 24 hours, he clearly faces a strongly fancied Dan Skelton horse who could be anything, but either way, he should be good enough to finish in the frame at the very least and he deserves to be played accordingly.

A cracking renewal of this sought-after prize and in a race where there’s quite a few different permutations, GOOD RISK AT ALL (best price 9/2) is taken to be the answer to the puzzle.

Always held in high regard, Sam Thomas’s gelding took a while to find his feet over hurdles, but once he’d become more proficient, his better technique allowed him to saunter to a well-deserved victory in a competitive handicap at Ascot. Not quite up to Grade 1 standard on his final start of the campaign (paid for chasing pace), the son of No Risk At All had his sights significantly lowered for his opening bow this term and with the ground very much in his favour, he overcame his tendency to race a little keen with a smooth success.

Although all his best form has come over 2m4f up until now, he’s always left the impression that stamina is his key weapon and with his high cruising speed always likely to better served to events of this kind rather than small-field tactical affairs, the six-year-old can continue his rise through the ranks.

Cheltenham’s loss is Ascot’s gain as Edwardstone comes here in search of more suitable ground than what he would have faced last weekend, but whether he can cope with BOOTHILL (best price 9/2) first time out following a layoff is open to debate and Harry Fry’s gelding receives a fairly confident vote to make a further impression over fences.

Good enough to finish third to Soaring Glory in a highly-competitive handicap hurdle over today’s course this time last year, the son of Presenting was sent chasing soon after and although his first offering was more than respectable, it’s also probably fair to say he may have disappointed connections somewhat.

Back for his second instalment in his new discipline at Newton Abbot last time, the seven-year-old seemed much happier back over the minimum trip (had tried 2m7f previously at Galway) and off the back of what turned out to be an impressive display both visually, and on the clock, this is surely the division where his future lies.

Clearly miles better than his old mark of 132, he will probably need to improve again to capture a race of today’s nature, but with his high cruising speed and jumping very much seen as a big asset, it would be something of an anti-climax if he wasn’t bang in the thick of the action at the business end. Irish raider from shrewd connections, So Scottish, could well turn out to be the chief threat.