Horse Racing Tips: Katie Midwinter's best bets for Wednesday includes 9/1 Kempton tip

• Katie Midwinter has four selections on Wednesday

• Ex-Closutton gelding has conditions in his favour at Haydock

• Local Hero is one to keep onside after recent effort

13:10 Haydock - Back Whatdeawant E/W @ 9/110.00

Softer conditions and the step up in trip should suit Lucinda Russell-trained Whatdeawant who made a long-awaited return to action following a 373-day absence when third to Playful Saint in May.

It was a promising effort after a long layoff and a switch of yards having previously resided at Closutton, and it's an outing on which he can build. He shaped as a stayer on that occasion, plugging on well on ground perhaps drier than his ideal conditions, suggesting there should be plenty in his favour on this ground at Haydock.

Earlier in his career, the €62,000 purchase beat Ginto on debut in a heavy ground bumper before finishing third to Kilcruit in a Leopardstown Grade Two, finishing ahead of the likes of Chemical Energy and Noble Yeats.

During his novice hurdle campaign, the son of Aizavoski placed third to Sir Gerhard in a testing Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, in ground officially described as soft but had been subject to torrential rain which continued throughout the day. Those were extreme conditions which Whatdewant seemed to cope with well, outrunning his odds of 18/119.00 having caught the eye in the paddock beforehand.

A smart-looking individual, the gelding perhaps lacked the Grade One quality to compete with the best of the novices in his earlier days, but proved on a number of occasions that he possesses plenty of quality and ability.

From a mark of 133 here, having had the benefit of a run this year but coming into the race fresh once again, which has suited in the past, the eight-year-old could prove tough to beat if he has retained much of his ability. An intriguing contender for the yard this season, he could be a horse to keep on side from a lenient mark.

13:50 Lingfield - Back Local Hero @ 5/16.00

Richard Hannon-trained Local Hero is worth sticking with as he returns to action following a third over course-and-distance here last month. The Phoenix Of Spain colt remains on an unchanged mark from 88 with 3lb claimer Joe Leavy taking the ride, putting him in with strong claims at the weights.

When last seen, he stuck to the task well late on but couldn't reach eventual winner Bobby Bennu. If he can show some improvement for the run following a 95-day break, and increase his sharpness slightly, he should be in contention once again in the closing stages.

He had previously won over 7f at Kempton in June from a mark of 85 on handicap debut having previously been beaten eight-lengths by now 98-rated Grey Cuban, giving the winner 8lb when sent off as the 9/43.25 favourite. It's worth noting he became upset in the stalls before the off that day, and failed to give his true running having been too fractious which likely affected him.

Given a 53-day break following that outing, he made a successful return before failing to feature when upped in class at Newcastle. On only his eighth career start here, he could have more to give and the best may be yet to come.

Out of Listed-placed Pearl Diva, Local Hero is related to five-time Grade One winner Lemon Drop Kid, as well as dual Group One winner Wolfhound, and, with plenty of class in the family, he could prove better than his current mark of 88 suggests.

Things haven't gone right for him this year, but he remains of interest as a horse with plenty of potential, and this could be a nice opportunity for him to record a third career success.

14:03 Ludlow - Back Arclight @ 6/17.00

Classy mare Arclight holds strong claims for the in-form Seven Barrows team in this two-mile mares' handicap hurdle.

Although she must shoulder top-weight, giving away plenty of weight to her rivals in the process, she should possess enough ability to pose a threat from a hurdling mark of 128, 7lb lower than her chase rating.

Pulled up in both of her previous two efforts, she jumped poorly over fences at Cheltenham on her return to action when some of the yard's runners may have been needing a run, and she should be able to improve plenty for switching to the smaller obstacles with the benefit of a run.

At the beginning of her previous campaign last year, she recorded a hat-trick of wins, beating Marsh Wren in Listed company last December, when she received 3lb from the now 147-rated mare.

Her penultimate outing was in the tough Grade Two Pendil Novices' Chase at Kempton, and, although she has failed to complete twice this year, she has the ability to bounce back in different conditions here.

The Nicky Henderson-trained mare could exploit her lower hurdling mark at this level, and should be suited by the return over timber, with the yard's horses running well on the whole. This could be the right time to catch this daughter of Champs Elysees, who is two from two during December in her career.

Under Nico de Boinville, Arclight makes the most appeal at 6/17.00.

19:10 Kempton - Back Holloway Boy E/W @ 9/110.00

Holloway Boy is the class of the field in this Listed mile contest, despite being the second highest-rated behind Dear My Friend from a mark of 110.

The four-year-old must defy a 5lb penalty following a Group Three win over Prague in the Superior Mile Stakes at Haydock, but he has enough quality to be competitive regardless, and is the one to beat on that level of form.

Roi De France is a progressive type who remains unexposed and recently won over course-and-distance, yet he has a bit to find to reach some of his rivals and at short odds he could be worth taking on.

Poker Face is a solid performer at Group Two level having chased home the likes of Charyn, Ice Max and Prague in tough contests this yet, however, he's returning on the back of a poor display at Ascot, and, at the prices, Holloway Boy makes more appeal.

On debut in 2022, Holloway Boy burst onto the scene with a shock 40/141.00 victory in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot, but it would be over two years until he returned to the winners' enclosure, despite running well in defeat on most occasions.

A consistent type, the son of Ulysses has shown a high level of ability to compete in races up to Group One level, including when finishing third to Auguste Rodin in the Futurity Stakes as a juvenile.

This year, he has been plying his trade in handicaps, doing exceptionally well in competitive races to finish among the places when often narrowly beaten under a hefty weight. The return to Stakes races allowed him to race on a more level playing field with his rivals, which, in a sense, became somewhat of an easier task than giving away plenty of weight to well-handicapped, progressive rivals.

Unlikely to pose a threat in testing conditions when returning to handicap company from a 4lb higher mark when last seen, his previous Ascot outing should be excused and the return to this level should suit.

The likeable Karl Burke-trained gelding has plenty of heart and should be competitive if taking to the surface. This is his all-weather debut but considering his sire has a 30 percent success-rate with winners-to-runners on such a surface, and there are some all-weather winners in his family, there is hope that he will enjoy this new challenge.

At odds of 9/110.00 under Sam James, Holloway Boy could prove worth siding with each-way.

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