Thursday Horse Racing Tips from Andy Holding

SCOTS POET (best price 5/1) just found one too good in the shape of the game Matchless here last time out but with that effort going a long way to highlight his love affair for today’s C&D, it makes sense to keep Ewan Whillans’ inmate on side despite the presence of both the improving pair Ip Up and Bix Beiderbecke in the line-up.

Shaping as though just needing the run on his first outing for 143 days at Kelso previously, the seven-year-old arrived at his old stomping ground as one of the main players in a competitive Class 3 affair and having travelled well throughout, he looked to be coming with a winning challenge at the second last. Unfortunately, he didn’t quite see his race out as well as the eventual winner, but it was a good platform to build on for the rest of the campaign all the same and with the likes of Bix Beiderbecke and Darkest Day there to ensure the pace sets up nicely for a closer, his form figures here that read 3132 are likely to be enhanced.

Daddy Long legs is an interesting recruit for the Willie Mullins camp and commands a huge amount of respect on stable debut, but IRISH PANTHER (NAP) (best price 6/4) set a reasonable standard and will be waiting in the wings to pounce if the favourite comes up a little short.

A very smart bumper performer, as placed effort against the likes of Fact To File and Ballyburn testify, Edward O’Grady’s inmate was strongly fancied to get off the mark at the first time of asking over hurdles at Clonmel earlier this month, but the combination of a far from fluent round of jumping and bumping into an above-average type (entered in the Grade 1 Royal Bond Sunday) caught him out in the final analysis.

That said, he still ran to a decent standard in defeat and with that all-important run under his belt allied to a drop back in trip seen as positive forces at play, the six-year-old can hopefully have his consistency rewarded.

RICKETY GATE (best price 4/1) made a reasonable start to his new campaign with a creditable effort over today’s C&D earlier this month and with the strong possibility he will strip a good deal fitter this time around, confidence is high he can maintain his fine track record - which currently stands at 313.

Held up towards the rear early, Nicky Richards’ inmate still had more behind him than in front as the field turned for home and although he never looked like capturing the prize, the way he stayed on down the straight for third held out quite a bit of promise for the future.

A little sketchy at some of his hurdles for one reason or another 22 days ago, hopefully he will be more proficient in that department on his return visit and with conditions to suit, it would be a surprise if he doesn’t make some sort of impact in a race well within his capabilities.