Wednesday Horse Racing Tips from Andy Holding

The mares’ only hurdle won by Della Casa Lunga at Ludlow last month was noted for its strong speed figure for the grade and with the subsequent form working out in accordance with the data, FORTUNA LIGNA (best price 17-2) can do her bit for the race in question in the first-time visor. 

On the fringes of the action in all her four previous starts against her own sex prior to shipping up at the Shropshire venue, Anthony Honeyball’s inmate was one of several fancied to provide the favourite and course specialist with plenty to think about, but it turned out, she along with her seven rivals were only bit-part players in the wake of a horse who was trapping along at two mile speed in a race run over a mile further. 

Although she never looked like winning, she did keep on bravely to finish a respectable third and with the second and fourth enhancing the credentials of the race next time, its fair to say she probably ran a good deal better than it appeared at first glance. 

Looking at her sole win in 13 starts, it came at the expense of this season’s mares’ only final winner All The Glory at a similar time of the year and having gone well on her only previous spin around today’s track, hope is high she can do so again with the headgear working its magic. 

A tricky handicap to solve made even more complicated with both Burdett and Break The Bank returning to the fray following gelding operations, but there’s a decent chance COCKTAIL DRESS (best price 6-1) maybe capable of putting her fitness to good use and leave behind a slightly disappointing effort at Wolverhampton last time out. 

Off the mark at the third attempt at Chelmsford a month ago, George Boughey’s filly was fancied in many quarters to follow up at the Dunstall Park venue three weeks later, but unfortunately for her and her supporter’s things didn’t pan out as well as anticipated and she could only manage a distant fourth behind three improving geldings. 

In what turned out to be a tactical, slowly run affair, Billy Loughnane tried to inject a bit of pace to proceedings halfway down the back straight, but it only led to the champion apprentice and his mount being forced wide as the more senior jockeys stood their ground for the thick end of three furlongs.

A busted flush as the field turned for home, it looked for all the world she was going to fall out of the back of the telly inside the final two furlongs, but to her great credit she somehow managed to rally and steal fourth place on the line and salvage something from the wreckage. 

Drawn widest of the seven runners here tonight, hopefully returning winning pilot Oisin Murphy can get some much-needed cover heading into the first corner and if so, the daughter of Too Darn Hot can be competitive at the business end.