Wednesday Horse Racing Tips from Andy Holding

BLUE ZODIAC (best price 10-1) has exhibited a fair amount of talent on her two starts to date and today’s contest represents a decent opportunity for her to further showcase her ability. 

Impressing with the way she travelled on her debut at Yarmouth, the combination of greenness and just getting a little tired after hitting the front too soon over six furlongs took its toll on her late on, but with a more conservative ride back at the same venue next time, she made no mistake. 

Learning lessons from her opening effort two weeks earlier, Michael Bell’s filly was held up in last place through the early stages while main market rival Hettie Jack set about trying to dominate from the front, but once set alight to go attack George Scott’s filly at the furlong pole, she found a smart turn of foot to ease her way clear close home. 

Clocking decent backend fractions as well as a useful overall time, the visual evidence and data suggests she is an above-average juvenile and providing she gets some early cover from her outside post (pace all around her in stalls 1, 3 and 5), she can come through and make an impact at the business end.

PRAY TELL (best price 16-1) has yet to register a win under rules but it might well be that today’s opening bow in handicap company provides him with his best opportunity and he is worth a decent crack at the morning odds to back up that view. 

A former point winner, the eight-year-old has hit the frame in four starts over hurdles to date and his latest third at Wexford might have been bettered had his pilot not persisted with inside run when it was clear those racing wider had a distinct advantage. 

Prior to that upgradeable effort, the son of Ask hotly contested an above-average maiden hurdle at Tipperary where the pace was strong throughout and with the proven ability to stay three miles well, today’s stiff 2m6f should be just the ticket. 

A typically wide-open Galway Plate with cases to be made for most of the field but there’s no getting away from the claims PERCEVAL LEGALLOIS (best price 5-1), who has surely had this race as his main target ever since winning a beginners chase at this meeting last year. 

The way he jumped and travelled that day marked him down a novice of some potential and even though he has failed to win since, his final run at the Punchestown Festival went a long way to back up that view. 
Once again getting into a lovely rhythm up front at the Kildare track, Gavin Cromwell’s inmate seemingly had the field at full stretch turning for home only to find one too good in the shape of Hgranca De Thaix but, with the pair miles clear of the rest and the speed figure speaking favourably of the performance, he still has the look of a well handicapped horse going forward. 

ZANAHIYR (best price 9-1) is another who has just had the four starts over fences and while his jumping could do with polishing up, he has more than enough class to compensate. 
Good enough to finish a close-up fourth in the Grade 1 Turners at the Cheltenham Festival, Gordon Elliott’s inmate would be a serious danger to all if he were to run anywhere near that standard back in handicap company and having been given a big chance by the assessor off a mark of just 145, a bold display should be forthcoming if he can avoid the errors that have blighted him in the past. 

COCK AND BULL (NAP) (best price 15-8) appears to be taking his busy campaign well and following another excellent effort over today’s track last time out, it would be churlish to go against Michael Bell’s likeable gelding on his return to the Esher slopes. 

A dual winner on his first two starts over the C&D, the tough grey faced a stiffer task in Class 3 company last time out but despite fluffing his lines coming out of the gates, he surpassed his previous achievements by staying strongly from the back of the field – which was against the bias - to finish a gallant second behind all-the-way winner Spaceport. 

Easily posting his best speed figure by some way a week ago, connections seem more than happy to let him roll the dice again and being one of only two horses in the line-up to have run over today’s course, he can put that valuable experience to good use.