Friday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

RED DIRT ROAD (NAP) (best price 2/1) hasn’t been seen out since only narrowly failing to land an above-average novice event at Leicester back in December, but providing he is somewhere close to peak fitness after his mini-break, Jonjo O’Neill’s inmate should be extremely competitive off his opening handicap mark of 117.

Having landed a maiden hurdle on good ground at Southwell previously, there was obviously a slight concern whether the son of Fame And Glory would handle completely contrasting conditions at the Midland venue, but as it turned out, he seemed to relish the test and if it wasn’t for drifting slightly to his right on the run-in, he undoubtedly would have won.

Looking back at his Irish point, it’s worth noting he beat the top-class prospect Corbett’s Cross (now rated 143) by four lengths and now we know he handles plenty of ease in the ground, confidence is high he can make a mockery of his current assessment.

Benavente ran really well in a decent race on the clock here last week but, as most of his best form – including that effort – have come over seven-furlongs, preference on this occasion is for HIGHER KINGDOM (best price 7/2).

A dual winner so far this Winter, at the same time he hasn’t got a completely unexemplary record, but when things do go his way, he can be pretty devastating at this level. In plain terms, the two times when he managed to break on terms, he’s been really good whereas he’s given himself very little chance on at least two of his other three starts.

Last time out was another classic example when he flopped out of the stalls, and although he did extremely well to get within four lengths of the forward-going winner, Mulgrave, there was simple no way he was going to get anywhere near a horse who has subsequently gone on to lower the colours of the smart Ransom.

Knowing what we know about him, he obviously comes with risks attached, but if he can pop out of the gates with a reasonably amount of purpose and put himself within striking distance turning for home, he certainly has the quality to score again.

SKY DEFENDER (best price 14/1) hasn’t managed to trouble the judge in his two races since returning to action but there was more than a glimmer of hope in his latest effort he might be coming to the boil and at the morning odds, he’s worth a small interest to mix it against some fresh young blood working their way through the ranks.

Unsurprisingly sent off 33/1 in a hugely-competitive affair at Wolverhampton after disappointing on his first run for 117-days, David O’Meara’s gelding was never better than mid-division in what turned out to be a very strongly run contest.

That said, it was noticeable he did keep on quite well in the closing stages to finish just on the heels of the main players and when you consider several in and around him that day have gone on to boost the form/time figure, it probably wasn’t as bad a run as first feared.

Back to a track where he’s enjoyed a fair bit of success in the past, the son of Farhh can go well off his lowest mark for three years (rated 105 at his peak).