Thursday Horse Racing Tips from Andy Holding

GOODTIMECREW (best price 9/2) has come away from her first two races over hurdles leaving the impression the minimum trip has been an insufficient test and having already proven that today’s track suits her eye with a victory in a bumper last year – not to mention an excellent effort over hurdles too – Harry Fry’s mare rates a strong choice at the morning odds. 

Outpaced before staying on strongly to finish a close-up second on her hurdling debut at Plumpton back in November, the daughter of Walk In The Park was well supported to go one place better here last time out but similar to what happened at the Sussex venue, she didn’t have the basic speed of the eventual winner Pawapuri (won listed race next time) in the key part of the race and she could only keep on at the one pace in the latter stages.

Being off the track for 70 days must be of some concern but providing she is in the same form as she was back then, the six-year-old must have a reasonable chance of being competitive against mares of a similar quality to her and if the extra five furlongs does bring about the anticipated improvement, all the better. 

CAVALLUCCIO (best price 5/1) has undoubtably been his own worst enemy on several occasions, slow starts being the chief culprit, but he’s also been capable of running some big numbers when things pan out in his favour and in the hope that everything goes smoothly for him this evening, a chance is taken on Alice Haynes’ gelding gaining his fourth C&D success.

Not that badly away by his standards here last time out, he still, however, found himself in a position in a big field whereby he needed a huge amount of luck in running and although he ended up making a bold fist of overcoming the deficit, he ultimately found one to good in the shape of the more prominently ridden Thebeautifulgame. 

Likely to be dropped out from stall 7 here tonight whether alertly, or more predictably, slowly away, the pace set by Wadacre Gomez should set things up nicely for a grandstand finish and, given that he’s not likely to be too far off the speed turning for home because of the small field size, he should have every chance of cutting down the main players in the home straight.