Wednesday Horse Racing Tips from Andy Holding

INOUI MACHIN (NAP) (best price 7/4) travelled sweetly in the first-time blinkers until the hitting the buffers around the two-mile point here last time out and based on the theory that a drop back down to the minimum trip again might work more in his favour, Neil Mulholland’s gelding can make it third time lucky over hurdles.

A dual bumper winner last season, including one over today’s track, the six-year-old shaped well on his first outing over hurdles on his return visit and although he failed to better his finishing position on his latest start, there was still plenty of encouraging signs all the same.

Having looked the most likely winner two out, it soon became apparent that the final two furlongs was going to be a struggle but even allowing for the fact he weakened into third behind the smart Lucky Place (runner-up at Taunton Monday), the data revealed he still ran a useful speed figure.

Quick to draw to conclusions the son of Honolulu is more about speed than stamina, connections have found a suitable opportunity to put that theory to the test and with his main market rival also dropping back down in distance, hopefully he can show the best turn of foot of the pair.

WAL BUCK’S (best price 15/8) has hinted that there are races to be won with him based on his two performances so far to date and it would come as no surprise if today proved to be his breakthrough moment if he ran to a similar level of form as he managed last time out.

A big eye-catcher in a bumper at Carlisle on his first outing under rules, Lucinda Russell’s inmate returned to the Yorkshire venue a month later in a bid to make an immediate impact over hurdles and although he fleetingly looked like he might make the perfect start to his new discipline, he ultimately just couldn’t quite see the job through.

However, given the strength of the race and over numbers it produced, his effort must go down as a positive one and with today’s track and conditions likely to see him to best advantage, the five-year-old might have the edge over favourite Tommie Gun.

MARCHETTI (best price 3/1) ran a figure far outweighing her rating over tonight’s C&D last time out and even though there must be a certain amount of scepticism attached to whether a horse of her low grade can repeat the dose, a chance is taken she can prove there was no fluke about the performance.

0-26 and a profile to suggest she was an unrecommendable betting proposition, connections resorted to a second tinkering of her wind to see whether that procedure had the desired effect and based on the evidence from 21 days ago, the transformation was quite extraordinary.

Held up in the rear after being steadied at the start, Jimmy Fox’s mare still had plenty on her plate turning for home, but once engaging top gear down the straight she soon mowed down her rivals to lead at the furlong pole and from that point she drew further clear for a comfortable success.

Clocking a time comparable to the likes of Chipstead and Top Secret on the same card, it’s clear he ran to a high level for the grade and with the strong possibility of him being positioned slightly better than he was last time due to a more favourable draw, the same outcome has every chance of being forthcoming.