DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 19
3.35 LUDLOW
THE HARDEST GEEZER (best price 7-2) has been keeping good company so far this season and, with his latest victory no more than he deserved for his previous endeavours, Philip Hobbs & Johnson White’s gelding can continue his rise through the ranks on handicap debut.
On the fringes of the action behind the likes of Royal Infantry and Lauren’s Bay on his first two starts of the campaign, the six-year-old was well backed to take advantage of what appeared a good opportunity on paper at Taunton recently and despite making a mess of the last and star gazing on the run-in, he justified his position in the market with a shade of comfort.
The type who still appears a work in progress, he will have gained plenty from that breakthrough success and although today’s contest is competitive enough, he has the qualities to make his presence felt around a track that will suit.
THE HARDEST GEEZER – 1-point win@7-2
4.33 DONCASTER
DIAMOND KODA (best price 3-1), although still awaiting his first win, you know what you are going to get with him and anything other than a positive display would be totally out of kilter.
Last time out at Catterick, Nick Kent’s inmate put in another solid shift and although he didn’t gain maximum rewards for his endeavours, the speed figure he achieved wasn’t too far off his previous best.
Since that contest last month, the fifth and seventh have both won since and having gone well over today’s C&D in the past, he has the form in the book to finally gain his just rewards for his consistency.
DIAMOND KODA – 1-point win@3-1
5.13 LUDLOW
MIDNIGHT GINGER (best price 11-2) hinted at a return to something like her best form in a warm race for the grade at Chepstow last time out and having been dropped to her lowest mark for four years, Andrew Martin’s mare rates a strong choice to take full advantage of the leniency afforded her.
In a keen betting heat where there was significant interest in the likes of previous course winner Castelfort and the potentially well treated Lanesborough, the daughter of Midnight Legend ultimately didn’t have the qualities to match the first three home but she did keep on well all the way down the straight behind the quickening pace and the speed figure of the race in question revealed it was a fair effort on her part.
To provide some early indication the form is reliable, the fifth home, Klic Boum, ran an eye-catching race last week at Hereford (backed from 7-1 to 3-1) and with today’s opponents nowhere near the level she faced 22 days ago, it will be a bit of headscratcher if she is not involved at the business end.
MIDNIGHT GINGER – 1-point each-way@11-2
8.30 KEMPTON
Break dancer RAY GUNN (best price 10-3) caused much controversy with her suspect routine in the Paris Olympics not so long ago and although not quite in the same category by any means, the horse that bears her name certainly raised a few eyebrows with his latest instalment at Wolverhampton.
Dropped right out the back off slow fractions at the Dunstall venue, Jamie Osbourne’s inmate was always likely to get caught out in the dash for the line off the home turn and although that scenario played out as anticipated, he finished his race off in a such a fashion, he left the impression he was just as good as any of his rivals in the 10-strong field.
Gelded in the interim and having been handed what appears a workable opening handicap mark, the son of Gun Runner has a golden opportunity to show his true worth on his first start in his new discipline.
RAY GUNN – 1-point win@10-3