Andy Holding's Saturday Horse Racing Tips

YAYA FIZZ (NAP) (best price 9-4) has really come of age of late and following two impressive back-to-back victories – one of which was over today’s C&D – Eddie Delany’s inmate is taken to complete the hat trick. Since adopting front running tactics, the son of Zagreb has looked a totally different horse to the one who was struggling to finish his races off in the summer jumping period and his time figure at Navan last time out also suggests he’s capable a good bit better than his current handicap mark implies. In making it from pillar9/4-to-post at the Co Kildare venue, the seven-year-old amazingly ran the last circuit slightly quicker than previous Champion Hurdle winner, Jezki, and with the runner-up that day Camlaan going on to record a facile success at Down Royal next time, the form looks totally believable. Likely to be sent on into a clear lead from flag fall, it will take a good one to go by him if he’s in a similar mood as the last day.

Despite the competitive nature of this field, it’s difficult to get away from the obvious claims of the potentially well-handicapped BALLYANDY (best price 9-2) and he’s fancied to provide his handler with his second success in this race. Although only eight novices have prevailed in this valuable prize in the last 40 years, there has been a significant swing towards lightly-raced contenders in the last decade and last season’s winner Agrapart became the fifth in the last seven renewals when outpointing a 22-strong field twelve months ago. Similarly to Nick Williams’ charge, the son of Kayf Tara arrives here following a decent effort in a Sandown Graded contest, and although he was just outpointed by Messire Des Obeaux on the day, there’s nothing wrong with that form given what the winner has gone on to achieve subsequently. Furthermore, he’s got solid form at today’s track – albeit in bumper company on this card last year– and, as he’s likely to be ridden close to the pace, he has the ideal run-style to follow in the footsteps of several previous prominent racers who have benefitted from being on the speed in recent times.

NORTH AMERICA (best price 7-2) has turned into a proper bully on dirt since switching location and despite being up against some illustrious names, Satish Seemar’s charge is fancied to come through his toughest test to date. The good thing about his latest victory 30 days ago was he found plenty for pressure once joined with a furlong to run and drawn handily in order to get to the front early, the imposing son of Dubawi will take some stopping once he straightens up for home.

With doubts over Heron Heights on soft ground off the back of a break and question marks over the JP pair, Vent De La Cotte and Squouateur, CAOLANEION (best price 8-1) looks the obvious candidate to take advantage of a decent-looking opportunity. Impressive when landing a beginners chase over today’s C&D back in 2016, Shane Nolan’s charge has run some fine races in hard-knocking handicaps subsequently and there was nothing wrong with his latest effort when a creditable fourth in a much stronger race than this at Fairyhouse. Although he can be a little frustrating with what he sometimes finds off the bridle, his high cruising speed should ensure he arrives there at the business end going well and it’s just a case of whether he has the willingness to go through with his effort on this occasion.

BORN TO FINISH (best price 5-4)indicated that there’s probably still more to come on the evidence of his latest effort at Kempton and he can get back on the winning trail returning to the scene of his ground breaking success back in December. Coming from last-to-first to post a fast speed figure that day, Jeremy Gask’s inmate went on to take advantage of his wellbeing with victories at Wolverhampton and Kempton – once again showing a nice turn of foot in the closing stages in both races. Always behind the eight ball courtesy of a poor draw at the Surrey venue last time, he therefore did extremely well under the circumstances to get with two lengths of the impressive winner Dutch Golden Age, who had much better track position, and providing he breaks well and holds his position in the early stages, there shouldn’t be anything capable of outrunning this in-form three-year-old in the home straight.

Godolphin clearly mean business here with four of the 11-strong field, but while all eyes will be on the highest rated of the quartet, Thunder Snow, preference is for two of their other representatives, BEST SOLUTION (best price 10-1) and CAPEZZANO (best price 6-1), who both have an advantage of previously racing on this surface. The former, although beaten a fair way by stable mate Fly At Dawn in the trial here 16 days ago, ran a good deal better than his finishing position suggests as he was stuck out on the wing from a poor draw throughout the majority of the race. Although not that much better posted here in gate nine, at least he hasn’t drawn the coffin box as Fly At Dawn has in trap 11 and he can at least turn the form around with old rival over a trip that should suit. The latter hasn’t yet cut his teeth at the main Carnival action, but his speed figures at the ‘off cards’ suggest he’s very much worth his place in this field. Slow away on his first two starts, Charlie Appleby’s charge took advantage of a much better break when scoring readily here last time out and this lightly-raced sort, with a dirt pedigree, can easily outrun his odds.