Saturday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

ABDUCTION (best price 11/2) rounded off last season in tremendous form and with one of his efforts deemed an extremely unlucky one, Jim Goldie’s gelding is fancied to make amends on his return to the same C&D.

A narrow-margin winner at Ayr on his first outing since leaving Grant Tuer, the five-year-old impressed in every aspect on his next outing back at the Scottish venue 10 days later, none more so than with the speed figure he posted, which turned out to be a career high.

Bidding to complete his hat trick a month later, the son of Acclamation was noted travelling well just in behind the speed approaching the final two furlongs but just as he produced to deliver his challenge the door slammed in his face and he had to settle for an honourable second. Clearly well-treated on the evidence of that display, the only unknown is how his levels of fitness are following a 180-day break, but given he scored on his first run after a long lay off last season, there’s every chance he will be able to overcome that imponderable.

MARTY TIME (NAP) (best price 5/2) proved he had stamina in abundance when producing a breakthrough performance at Hexham last time out and with today’s trip promising to bring about even more improvement, Sue Smith’s inmate can continue his progression up the ladder.

Promising without setting any pulses racing in maiden hurdles up the North, the seven-year-old grey showed his first proper sign of life when finishing third to the progressive Accidental Legend on handicap debut at Market Rasen two months ago, which gave him a decent platform from which to build on.

Given a 55-day break, the son of Martaline returned to action at the Borders venue two weeks ago and having travelled purposefully throughout, he stayed on in determined fashion to get the better of the well-fancied course specialist, Lewa House. Unspectacular though it might have seemed on paper, his performance based on the data, however, revealed he’d not only posted a decent overall time figure, but his final circuit time was only 0.8 slower than the one produced by the 119-rated novice Bingoo in the two-mile novice hurdle.

Based on those numbers, he appears to have done rather well to escape with only a minor scratch ratings-wise, and with today’s extra distance offsetting the fact he now encounters slightly livelier ground, he back up the view he remains a well-treated horse.

HARRY DES ONGRAIS (best price 12/1) has improved with each run during his first season over hurdles and with the possible advantage of arriving here having missed some huge body shots at the Cheltenham festival and of the like, Henry De Bromhead’s gelding makes plenty of appeal at the morning odds.

A comfortable winner at Wexford on testing ground back in October, he’s just had two runs since and both have been in company a far cry from those shallow waters. A creditable runner-up to the smart Favori De Champdou in an above-average novice event at Thurles a month later, he once again had a rear end view of the same opponent in a Grade 2 at Limerick next time and with both races coming out well on the clock, his performances very much suggest he’s going in the right direction.

Having not run since, obviously there’s a certain degree of guesswork surrounding his fitness, but taking the view this race may have been a plan hatched by connections for some time, hopefully there’ll be no stone unturned regarding his preparations at home.

PADDY THE HORSE (best price 11/2) did best of those ridden well off the pace over today’s C&D last time out and a repeat of something similar in this slightly less taxing affair should be good enough to see George Bewley’s inmate an even more potent force on his return visit.

A dual winner already this term, the eight-year-old unfortunately fell on his return to action at Ayr back in January but since then, he seems to have recovered some of his poise. Fourth in a competitive contest over today’s C&D two starts ago, he bettered that effort a month later and given the way he stayed on in the closing stages from an uncompromising position, augurs well for his chances back at the Cumbrian venue.

Seemingly best when allowed to come through off a strong pace, today’s race should pan out in the fashion he requires and at the morning prices, he makes plenty of each-way appeal.