Andy Holding's Thursday Horse Racing Tips

DASHING POET (NAP) (best price 3-1) posted the sort of numbers at Chelmsford last time out that had us stopwatch anoraks purring, so providing she can translate that level of form to this slightly different surface, a mandatory penalty shouldn’t be enough to halt her progress. Dropping back to the minimum trip at the Essex venue, Jeremy Gask’s inmate landed some tidy bets with seemingly plenty in hand and looking at her overall time (58.77) and sectional splits that evening (34.7 for last 3f), they compare very favourably with 94-rated Doctor Sardonicus who took the other 5f sprint half-an-hour later on the same card (58.08 and 34.4). Based on those findings, the daughter Medicean is clearly way ahead of her current rating, so she just needs to navigate a smooth passage through from her mid-post draw before letting rip in the straight.

CAPPANANTY CON (best price 7-2) has to be deemed an unlucky loser when last seen out (not including void race) at Lingfield and he’s strongly fancied to get back on track over a C&D that suits his run style. Trapped on heels when allowing the free-going Jack Flash get first run on him at the Surrey venue back in January, Dean Ivory’s charge did manage to reel in similarly-ridden Magdelene Fox over today’s C&D two starts ago, so providing he can work his way into a challenging position rounding the home turn, his nice turn of foot from the corner should prove to be a potent weapon down the lane.

KENSTONE (best price 7-2) continues to thrive and there appears no obvious reason to desert Adrian Wintle’s inmate running over a track he knows like the back of his hand. Yet to be out of the first two since teaming up with Hollie Doyle for current connections, the son of Kendargent arrives here off the back of a convincing success over tonight’s C&D and with his speed figures suggesting he should easily be capable of holding his own against better company, the four-year-old rates a knocking bet at his top morning price.