Wednesday Horse Racing Tips from Andy Holding

A cracking novices’ hurdle in prospect with many big reputations on the line and despite the market suggesting CALDWELL POTTER (best price 9/1) is very much the second string from the Gordon Elliott stable, the son of Martaline may prove he’s been unjustifiably overlooked.

Shaping as though he would be all the better for the run when just outrun by the smart It’s For Me on his seasonal/hurdling bow at Punchestown, the five-year-old grey was a warm order to take advantage of a golden opportunity presented to him at Navan last time and under a positive ride from the front, he duly landed the odds.

Despite the relative ease of his victory, the time figure he posted was above average for a race of its kind and even though connections at the time played down the prospect of their charge raising his sights anytime soon, he is just too good a horse not to be dining at the very top table.

Connections of NUSRET (best price 7/1) must have been delighted with the way he shaped on his first start of the season and with that all important run under his belt, Joseph O’Brien’s gelding can go well now back racing on a more favourable surface.

Just short of top class as a juvenile last season, highlighted with his fine third in the Grade 1 at Aintree on his final outing, the son of Golden Horn kicked off the new campaign by chasing home the smart Risk Belle in a Grade 3 at Fairyhouse and even though its fair to say he never really looked like winning, he did more than enough to suggest brighter days lay ahead.

Although he handles soft ground well enough, as he proved 25 days ago, most of his better runs have come courtesy of a quicker surface and having proven himself over today’s C&D with creditable third in the big juvenile contest behind Lossiemouth at this fixture last year, everything looks set up nicely for him to usurp that performance on his first run in a handicap over hurdles.

A race that often goes to a horse with proven form over today’s demanding track and SUPER SURVIVOR (best price 11/2) looks almost certain to back up that theory for men of the moment Jamie Snowden and Gavin Sheehan.

Runner-up on his first outing at the Welsh venue as a novice hurdler, the son of Shantou revisited the same track a year later when contesting a competitive novices’ chase and in what became a war of attrition, he stayed on extremely strongly to grind out his first victory in his new discipline.

Lightly raced since, today’s big pot has clearly been the target for some time and with his first outing for 248 days at Lingfield recently serving the purpose of blowing the cobwebs, the seven-year-old should be at fever pitch in his bid to execute the long-term plan.

PANDA BOY (best price 13/2), a creditable third in this race last year, looks to have been campaigned with a view to improving that position based on his two runs so far this term and with the cheekpieces on for the first time, he can go a long way to execute the plan.

Surprisingly well supported on his seasonal bow at Punchestown considering he was taking on genuine Graded performers. Martin Brassil’s struggled to cope with horses rated way higher but at least it was a solid platform from which to build around. The tell-tale sign, however, that he had bigger fish to fry further down the line comes from the fact connections decided to run him over two miles when last seen and as expected, he duly found the likes of Dinoblue & Co way too sharp.

Not seen out since with the view to arrive here a fresh horse, he hails from a stable adept at landing big handicaps with their staying chasers and providing the headgear helps him concentrate his mind in the early stages, the stamina he displayed when fifth in the Irish National should stand him good stead at the business end.