Tuesday Horse Racing Tips from Andy Holding

Quite a few unexposed types from powerful stables make for interesting viewing in this listed mares’ contest but it might well be that the oldest in the field, BANNTOWN GIRL (NAP) (best price 10-3), is not quite ready to have her pension book stamped just yet and she deserves to be played accordingly. 

A comfortable winner of a mares’ handicap over today’s course two starts ago, the eight-year-old was pitched into battle against some smart, rising stars of the jumps game at Down Royal last time but despite facing a potential Grade 1 performer in the shape of Brighterdaysahead, she was the only one to offer any resistance to the Gordon Elliott-trained mare in the final half a mile. 

Picking up the running some way from home, she strung the field out with an injection of pace and despite not quite having the quality to deal with the winner after the last, she kept on well enough all the way to the line, in turn, pulling miles clear of the rest. 

Posting a career high set of numbers at the Co Down venue, Stephen Carey’s inmate should in no way be intimidated by today’s field based on that display and with an overall body of work to suggest she is more likely to run her race than most, she makes plenty of appeal at the morning odds.

KINGOFTHEWEST (best price 11-2) shaped with a reasonable amount of promise on his chase debut at Taunton last time out and, in what looks to be a distinctly weaker race on paper, David Pipe’s inmate can make his presence felt with that initial experience tucked safely away in the memory bank. 

Twice a winner over hurdles as a novice, the son of Westerner found life tougher in open company last season but as he was always considered as a chaser by connections, it’s only now when he can be truly assessed. Pitched into a competitive novices’ handicap at the first time of asking over fences, the seven-year-old jumped and travelled well for two miles of the journey but the combination of being off the track for 203 days and the gallop the main players set finally caught up with him in the latter stages and he ended up having to settle for a minor role.

However, even allowing for the fact he got beaten 14 lengths at the west country track, his speed figure still read well on paper and with the third home boosting the form with a victory at Ludlow last week, he clearly ran better than first feared. 

Up in trip more in keeping with his profile and on ground that he has handled well in the past, it would come as something of a surprise if he could take advantage of his lowest ever mark (104 comparted to a high of 120 over hurdles). 

BLIND BEGGAR (best price 7-1) didn’t use to be a particularly reliable character but since switching to Michael Appleby he is now 5-12 and with most of those victories coming on the all-weather, he is fancied to add to his tally at a track that saw him break his duck for new connections.
Since that initial success a year ago, the five-year-old has managed to win a further three times and with the latest of those performances coming in game fashion at Chelmsford, his confidence couldn’t be any higher.

Not far off his very best speed figure 33 days ago, it’s worth pointing out his highest rating came when he won over today’s C&D and providing he exits the gates in a compliant mood (can sometimes miss the break), the son of Equiano can make a nuisance of himself throughout.