Wednesday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

NINE GRACES (best price 3/1) shaped with plenty of promise on her first start over hurdles at Fairyhouse and with a step up in trip seen as a positive move regarding her chances today, Barry Connell’s mare should turn out to be even more competitive than she was 52 days ago.

Never likely to maintain the pace she set in a bumper at Thurles on her previous start, connections were obviously keen for her to be ridden with a good deal more restraint at the Co Meath venue next time and as it turned out, her finishing effort was a good deal more desirable.

Keeping on strongly in the latter stages, the daughter of Kapgarde only narrowly failed to get up for second and with the time of the race suggesting she’d run to a level she hadn’t come close to matching before, hope is high she can continue to progress on this upward curve.

VOLCANO (best price 11/4) ran a tremendous race for a horse who was miles out of the handicap in the Classic Chase at Warwick last time out and with the form of that tough examination already boosted by the fourth, Guetapan Collonges, there’s every reason to feel upbeat about Sheila Lewis’ grey going well again at a track he’s enjoyed a fair amount of success in the past.

Despite being 10lb ‘wrong’ at the Midland track, it didn’t stop plenty of punters supporting him at big odds in the build up to the race and although he ultimately just missed out on the placings, he still ran way better than a 115-rated horse.

Prior to that career high effort, the son of Martaline had run his usual solid race twice over today’s course and even though he could arguably do with a stiffer test than what he might encounter here this afternoon, he’s still fancied to give a good account. Seigneur Des As, unlucky not to win at Lingfield last week, rates the main danger.

CAN’T BEAT HISTORY (best price 11/2), given his position in the market, was always unlikely to land a blow behind runaway winner Parramount over today’s course last time out, but with that third run over hurdles presenting him with a more realistic opportunity to be competitive on handicap debut, a small chance is taken that Henry Oliver’s gelding will go better than his morning odds suggest.

Well beaten on his first two starts over hurdles, expectations were obviously quite low of him improving significantly enough for him to be a factor in what looked a decent novice event on paper 26 days ago, but to be fair to the son of Beat Hollow, he did show his first signs of life in keeping on quite nicely in the latter stages.

Based on that effort and his performance in an Irish bumper for previous connections, clearly fast ground is the key to him, and with the strong possibility of him being fully tuned up for his first attempt in this sphere, the seven-year-old chestnut can make some sort of impact over a trip that should suit.

SOLENT GATEWAY (best price 9/2) faces a couple of improving four-year-olds in the shape of Aztec Warrior and First Officer, but Hugo Palmer does possess a touch of quality and a repeat of his latest effort over tonight’s C&D should see him acquit himself with credit.

Useful on the turf, theirs is enough evidence to suggest the son of Awtaad is even better on the all-weather and that view is backed up by his excellent performance when third to Trueshan in last season’s Northumberland Plate.

Needing the run on his return to action a month ago, the five-year-old soon resumed winning ways when accounting for the in-form Barenboim and three others in a tight little handicap at Wolverhampton and that was followed up by his fine display here last time.

Although no match for the likes of Earl Of Tyrone and Berkshire Rocco at the Sunbury venue, that contest was effectively a listed contest in all but name and with him now at least proven over tonight’s C&D, he rates a reasonable each-way proposition on his return visit.