Andy Holding's Friday Horse Racing Tips

Several really promising sorts are set to face the starter here, none more so than OVER TO SAM (best price Evens), who created a favourable impression with his victory on rules debut at Exeter 24 days ago. Well backed beforehand, Harry Fry’s charge simply oozed class all the way through what turned out to be a soundly-run affair set by Coole Cody and even though his main market rival kept up a decent pace all the way to the line, he proved way too strong in the latter stages. Sure to have benefitted from that initial outing both mentally and physically, the son of Black Sam Bellamy should be seen to even greater effect over today’s trip and he’s fancied to keep his unbeaten record in tact before going on to much better things.

Get On The Yager clearly sets the standard following his excellent fourth behind Willoughby Court and Co in a decent Grade 2 at Warwick last time out, but unsurprisingly he’s been well found in the market whereas BALLYMOUNTAIN BOY (best price 11-2) looks to have been slightly overlooked. Runner-up to the very talented Neon Moon in a bumper at Uttoxeter earlier in the campaign, Martin Keighley’s charge got his just rewards for that effort when accounting for subsequent winner Solighoster on his next start and he carried that form on nicely when making a pleasing debut over hurdles at Ludlow last time. Although he couldn’t match the finishing pace of Brave Eagle in the closing stages at the Midland track, the son of Mountain High did best of those that raced close to a furious gallop and with the time figure backing up the performances of the first three home, the form looks solid carried forward into this contest.

A very difficult race to assess given so many imponderables, but there’s a good chance that CLOVER MOON (best price 8-1) can find the necessary improvement to make some kind of impact following his highly encouraging run first time out. Not surprisingly for a horse having his first start, Tom O’Mara’s charge was a little slowly into stride over the 5f trip, but once he began to realise what was expected, he came home in eye-catching fashion to be a never-nearer sixth at the line. Although the form isn’t anything earth-shattering, there have been several out of the race, including subsequent dual winner, Alfredo Arcano, who’ve gone on to boost the form, and in a race where there doesn’t appear too many standout candidates, the son of Kodiac rates a fair each-way bet.

Plenty in with chances here in what appears a wide-open affair, but both POETIC CHOICE (best price 6-1) and OUR MANEKENIKO (best price 5-1) have been posting some useful figures of late and they are worth playing against the field. The former just found the 1m 2f trip finding him out here the last day, but prior to that he’d been quite impressive coming from a good way back to capture a similar contest to the one he faces tonight. Given a soundly run race over a mile he’s as good as anything in tonight’s field and being as though he’s already accounted for Keukenhof on a previous encounter, it makes little sense why he’s a bigger price than Johnny Murtagh’s inmate. The latter, previously impressive with his victory over 1m, just found the drop in trip catching him out on his follow up bid here 14 days ago and while he remains in excellent heart, he also has to enter calculations.

Given how well Complicit ran over 5f here last time out, he could easily take advantage of his slipping handicap mark now over a trip more in-keeping with his old profile, but at the same time, it’s hard to knock the solid credentials of LILY’S PRINCE (NAP) (best price 6-1) and he looks booked to continue his recent good work. Yet to run a bad race in his last six starts, the son of Strategic Prince has posted two career-high figures when placed behind the likes of in-form Ellaria and Cocoa Beach on his last two starts and from his favoured inside draw, it’s difficult to see Garvan Donnelly’s inmate not making the frame at the very least.

WAR GODDESS (best price 5-1) has threatened to win a race of this nature on both her last two outings and tonight might well be the night that Joseph O’Brien’s charge finally delivers the goods. Although she was seemingly beaten fair and square by Duchessofflorence here last week, she was done no favours by her jockey who sent her down the unfavourable inside part of the track in the home straight (totally dead on the far rail last week) and given that this race doesn’t look any tougher, there’s no real reason why she won’t go well again from her favourable inside draw.