Andy Holding's Friday Horse Racing Tips

It’s dangerous to write of Mazzini despite his antics at Ascot last time out (unshipped his jockey in the parade ring beforehand), but the safest option has to be to go with course winner VIBRANT CHORDS (best price 4-1) who needed every yard of the 5f journey here last time out. Although travelling well enough in midfield at halfway, Henry Candy’s charge still had plenty of ground to make up on the front runners with two to go, but showing a nice turn of foot inside the distance, he pulled readily clear in the shadows of the post. Hitting the line hard, the son of Poet’s Voice sent out a positive message that he will benefit greatly from an extra furlong, and hailing from a yard that does really well with this kind of sprinter, this unexposed four-year-old looks primed for another bold display.

FIESOLE (NAP) (best price 11-4) arrives here in terrific heart and this looks another good opportunity for him to add to his previous C&D victory earlier in the month. Impressing by the way he travelled that evening, the son of Montjeu also found plenty off the bridle when asked, and in pulling readily clear of his rivals in the closing stages, he posted a decent set of numbers. Although beaten on his follow up bid last time out at Clonmel, he was once again involved in a very strongly run race eventually won by Stormey and with the eighth-placed horse (beaten 20 lengths), Magnetic Force, doing the form no harm at Wexford last night, it makes perfect scene to go with Eion Doyle’s inmate returning to his happy hunting ground.

The race won by Rajasinghe looked a decent one of its kind and having shown up prominently throughout, RUFUS KING (best price 3-1) can be expected to build on that initial outing and take a hand in the finish here. Breaking smartly, Mark Johnston’s charge helped force what turned out to be a very decent pace (smart overall time figure) and although he couldn’t quite match the turn of foot of the winner inside the last two furlongs, time may tell that it was a useful performance in defeat. With the winner being muted as a potential Coventry horse by connections, the son of Iffraaj should find tonight’s company a little more palatable and he rates a decent bet at his top morning odds.

ALCANDER (best price 6-1) has been in decent form throughout a productive winter campaign over hurdles and having translated that solid form on his return to the flat last time out, another decent performance is anticipated by Francis Flood’s inmate. Good enough to finish a creditable third behind Landofhopeandglory over timber, the son of Makfi intimated he could turn out to be well handicapped during the summer months based on his fast-finishing second at Cork last time out and with trip and ground to suit, a reasonable bet each-way can reap rewards.