Friday Horse Racing Tips from Andy Holding

The form of the Swinton Hurdle is arguably the strongest of its kind coming into this similar contest and with the first and second at Haydock, BLACK POPPY (best price 13/2), and TEDDY BLUE (best price 8/1), doing duty on their first starts of the new campaign, hope is high at least one of the pair with feature prominently.

The former came out on top in that hugely competitive handicap at the Merseyside track by virtue of a slicker jump at the last but at the same time, it was no more than Kerry Lee’s inmate deserved after a productive and consistent season. Other than not seeing out the 2m4f trip at Newbury, the son of Kayf Tara won two races and was placed in as many others and with virtually all his performances coming courtesy of useful speed figures, it’s clear a strongly run two miles suits best.

A winner over today’s New Course prior to his most notable success so far to date, he can now not be pigeonholed as a flat-track bully and having gone well fresh many times in the past, the seven-year-old can go close in his bid to emulate stable mate Nemean Lion, who provided his Herefordshire handler with the perfect start to the new campaign.

The latter was arguably a little unlucky not to capture the Haydock race back in May, a last flight blunder costing him dear, but that aside, it was still another fine effort from a horse who dined at the top table in hot handicap throughout the season.

A proper tearaway in his formative years, Gary Moore’s inmate is a good deal more amenable to restraint nowadays and that propensity to settle better has meant he sees out a strongly run two miles well.

Although not fully proven over today’s track (down the field in the 2022 Triumph Hurdle), he does have a record of 2221 when off the track for over two months or more to compensate from that slight negative, and with conditions to suit, it would be something of a surprise if he didn’t have a say in the final analysis.

SOUL ICON (best price 9/1) enjoyed a rare old time of things during the early months of last season and on the evidence of his victory on his seasonal bow at Fontwell recently, Keiran Burke’s gelding looks set for another productive campaign.

Although he has made all the running before, he seemed more than content accepting a lead in the early stages at the Sussex venue but once taking full charge with over a circuit to run, he put his foot down on the gas pedal sufficiently enough that he all his rivals in a world of trouble at the death.

Hitting the line hard in posting a smart speed figure, the six-year-old returns to the scene of one of his most notable successes last year and having proven he stays beyond two miles well enough 20 days ago, another bold display looks in the offing if the rain keeps away (not due much if any at all).