Aintree Tips: Andy Holding's Thursday Racing Tips

The Arkle Chase was undoubtedly one of the races of the Cheltenham Festival based on pure time figures and with SAINT ROI (best price 7/2) producing his best set of numbers based on his splendid effort a month ago, a chance is taken Willie Mullins’ gelding will be just as effective over today’s longer trip.

A Grade 1 winner over fences in his own right courtesy of his victory at Leopardstown over the Christmas period, the eight-year-old unfortunately got no further than the fifth in Irish Arkle on his next visit to the Dublin venue two months later.

Outpaced and in rear at the time, it seemed like connections would be better served running him in the Turners Chase at Cheltenham over 2m4f and avoid taking on the likes of El Fabiolo and Jonbon over the minimum trip, but to his credit, he justified his place in the field with a fine display behind the ‘big two’ in third.

While Jonbon sticks around in the same division on Saturday, the son of Coastal Path is left to fly the flag for the same owner in the opening Grade 1 of the meeting and hailing from a stable that is currently running at a 30% strike rate, hope is high he can make a big impression on his first attempt at the trip.

According to the data, this year’s Gold Cup was one of the best versions of the blue riband run in recent times, so with that in mind, the logical approach would be to stay loyal to Bravemansgame, who posted a career-high in keeping Galopin De Champs honest all the way to the line.

Unfortunately, in doing so, Paul Nicholls’ gelding ended up having an extremely hard race and it remains to be seen whether he can produce a similar performance just 27 days on.

Another slightly off-putting factor is the eight-year-old has twice bombed out at this meeting after seemingly arriving here with excellent credentials and as both below-par efforts came at the hands of AHOY SENOR (best price 11/2), it makes perfect sense to side with Lucinda Russell’s gelding as the value alternative.

Still going well heading towards the final ditch in the Gold Cup, the son of Dylan Thomas proceeded to put in one of those awkward leaps he’s become renown for in recent times and he ended up depositing Derek Fox rather unceremoniously in the Cheltenham turf.

Where he would have finished is anyone’s guess, but at least it meant he didn’t have the bruising encounter several of today’s rival did a month ago, so it might turn out to be a blessing in disguise with regard to today’s race.

Either way, it’s noticeable that two of his career best performance have come at today’s meeting and with the strong possibility he will be afforded an uncontested lead (Hewick pestered him for two miles at Cheltenham), he can kick start what could be a terrific three days for his trainer.

A race that looks a bit of a minefield at first glance, but if taking a more simplistic approach, siding with last year’s winner LATENIGHTPASS (best price 11/2) might not be a bad option in the hope he’s in a similar frame of mind.

Runner-up to Cousin Pascal two years ago, connections clearly mapped out a campaign whereby the 10-year-old would come back in a bid to go one place better and having timed his preparation to a nicety, he duly delivered the goods.

Putting his valuable experience to good use, the son of Passing Glance was always jumping and travelling in a lovely rhythm and from a long way out, this sought-after prize looked his for the taking.

Treading a similar path 12 months on, he arrives here fresh and well following back-to-back wins in the point field and providing he can avoid the likely early carnage, there’s every chance he will be right in the thick of the action again at the business end.

A contest that’s often won by a prominent racer and with Global Citizen one of the main players in that department out, the way could be paved for DOUGLAS TALKING (best price 7/2) to dominate from the front.

Well-backed on his first run since a wind operation, Lucinda Russell’s gelding duly landed the cash with a commanding display and in a much tougher assignment on paper at Sandown last time out, he was equally impressive.

Soon shrugging aside his main market rival, Gameret, the seven-year-old was pin-point accurate down the famous line of fences in the back straight at the Esher venue and even after going a decent lick right from the start, he still appeared to have loads left in the locker as he bounded up the hill to the line.

Clearly a horse thriving at present, today’s task will obviously test his mettle like no other race he’s encountered before, but he does come across as being a horse among the line-up who has the potential to still be ahead of his mark and for that reason, the strapping young chaser gains the vote.

MY LITTLE QUEENS (best price 5/1) hasn’t run for 163 days, but it was a similar situation before she won first time up last year off a 252-day break, so with that in mind, she’s worth a small interest to repeat the dose on her seasonal bow.

A pretty consistent performer throughout her three-year-old campaign, Richard Fahey’s mare also posted some useful numbers on the figures in strongly run races, most notably on her two starts on the all-weather.

Unlucky when a never nearer third on her final outing at Newcastle, she left the impression there’s plenty of good prizes to be won with her this term and with connections taking the trouble to send her a long way from her Yorkshire base, the hint deserves heeding.