Andy Holding is back with four tips for today's action.
14:40 Kempton
MILLION THANKS (best price 9-2) was agonisingly touched off over today’s C&D last time out but with the data from that well-run affair suggesting he’d run to a career high, Kevin Philippart De Foy’s gelding is fancied to gain quick compensation.
Unable to show his true worth at Lingfield previously on account of a bad draw and poor track position, the son of Churchill was well-supported on his retrieval mission at the Sunbury venue a month later and, having travelled throughout, it was only the bob of a head at the wrong time which cost him the prize.
Still well treated on the evidence of that display, another good draw should see the four-year-old play a major role at the business end.
15:00 Doncaster
Betting on the early stages of the Flat season is fraught with danger, especially on heavy ground, but there can be no worries on that front for FAST RESPONSE (best price 5-1) and he makes plenty of appeal at her morning odds over a course she will be more accustom too than most.
Karl Burke’s filly made a fairly slow start to her second season in training, but once she got towards the backend of the campaign and the weather turned, she improved out of all recognition. A game winner at Nottingham in October on the first time she encountered really soft ground, the daughter of Fast Company wasted no time in following up over today’s course 10 days later.
Undone by the draw back at the Midland venue next time, the true test of her progression came over today’s C&D at listed level on her final start and as the end result showed, she proved equal to the task with a bit to spare.
The way she quickened in the testing conditions to pull readily clear in a short space of time was really impressive and even though there has to be a certain amount of risk surrounding whether she can pull off that level of form after a 147-day break, at least her price is tempting enough to offset the guesswork.
15:35 Doncaster
A typically wide-open looking renewal of this sought after prize and with ability to handle both ground and track seen as extremely valuable commodities ATRIUM (best price 10-1) and EMPIRESTATEOFMIND (best price 16-1) are worth playing against the field.
The former has proved on several occasions he’s well-suited to big-field handicaps and with his come-from-behind tactics seen to good effect over today’s C&D towards the backend of last season, it’s easy to see why connections are back on Town Moor to roll the dice again.
Prior to his victory back in November, Charlie Fellows’ gelding had shown a preference for a much quicker surface at Ascot and Newbury, so grind a result out in the fashion he did that day provides him with an extra dimension to his game and with a lovely middle draw the perfect platform from
which to begin his assault, expect his usual late rattle to carry him deep into the heart of the main action.
The latter hails from a stable who have captured this race in recent times with Blythe Knight and Levitate, so there’s every reason to believe his preparation would have undergone a similar routine. A busy boy last season, the son of Starsapngledbanner really came to the fore towards the tail end of the campaign when the rain came, and his three runner-up spots and deserved victory at Thirsk among this period highlighted his need for soft ground.
Twice running big races over today’s C&D in the past, including when chasing home Atrium on testing ground in September, he has overall form figures of 12311222 in handicaps when there has been some ease in the ground and even though several in today’s field boast slightly classier profiles, his consistency and ability to handle these sort of events in the conditions should count for plenty.
