Thursday Horse Racing Tips from Andy Holding

ABRAAJ (best price 4-1) has fashioned a decent little niche for himself in staying handicaps on the all-weather in recent times and following his second victory on this surface over today’s C&D last time out, another looks well within his range. 

As per usual, Simon Pearce’s gelding was switched off at the rear of the field early with a view to be brought with his challenge late and right on cue, he delivered a hammer blow to his rivals from the home turn onwards, a manoeuvre that proved to be a decisive one. 

Although those tactics can be fraught with danger, there appears no obvious reason why connections would change a winning formula and with the likelihood of a reasonable pace being the order of the day, the six-year-old should hopefully receive a similar set up to the one he encountered two weeks ago. 

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Form figures of 221 clearly suggest EY UP IT’S THE BOSS (best price 5-1) has a soft spot for today’s track and with his latest victory easily his best based on the numbers, Tony Coyle and Kaine Woods’ inmate rates the main focus of attention despite being up significantly in grade. 

Unlucky denied over a mile on his seasonal bow, the five-year-old was sent up to 1m2f for the first time on his return to the Yorkshire track a month later and, in a race that was run at a gallop whereby his stamina would be tested, he came through the examination with flying colours. 

Despite racing keenly early, he stayed on strongly at the business end to claim the prize and with an overall profile to suggest he can stay in the zone once in top form (has rattled off a hat trick in the past), the son of Pastoral Pursuits makes plenty of appeal at the morning odds. 

The defection of Time For A Pint means this race is now up for grabs and PILOT SHOW (best price 9-2) looks capable of taking advantage based on his most recent effort at Hereford. 

Although only third of the seven-strong field at the Midland venue, he stayed on well in the closing stages after getting outpaced down the back straight and with the time figure working out the best on the card, he was clearly in a race judged above average for the grade. 

No good to man or beast on soft ground, today’s drying surface will be music to the ears of his connections and with this Class 5 contest the easiest he has faced on paper for some time, the seven-year-old can provide his in-form handler with another winner in the summer jumping period. 

LINDA MOON (NAP) (best price 9-2) has been tacking some useful sorts since joining the National Hunt ranks and even though she has yet to win a race in five attempts, some of her best form suggests she will go close to putting matters right at this level.

The only one to offer any resistance to subsequent Cheltenham festival hero Golden Ace at Taunton back in the depths of winter, the ground proved her undoing when sent off a short price favourite to uphold that form at Doncaster next time but, after a break – presumably to wait for more favourable conditions – she bounced back with a much better performance at Kelso last time. 

Although she could only keep on at the one pace from two out, the data from the Borders venue suggested she was still operating at a decent level and with today’s contest representing a significant drop down in grade (Class 2 to Class 4), Neil King’s mare looks booked to go close while retaining the tongue-tie.