Andy Holding's Friday Racing Tips

SPRING OFFENSIVE (best price 10-1) didn’t get the best of runs through when sixth in this race last year and following two encouraging performances in big-field competitive handicaps so far this term, Richard Fahey’s charge looks set to better that finishing position this time around. A creditable fifth in the Irish Lincoln on his opening start to the campaign, the son of Iffraaj was once again in the money on his latest outing in the Thirsk Hunt Cup and with his overall profile, by and large, suggesting he’s more likely to run his race than many, the five-year-old rates a reasonably confident each-way pick.

Although BROROCCO (best price 9/2) failed in his bid to follow his previous C&D win at Chester last time out, he actually came out of that race with great credit given how things panned out and he’s taken to replicate his previous victory in the City And Suburban a month ago. Held up in usual fashion and still languishing in last three out on the Roodee 22 days ago, Andrew Balding’s charge was then asked to challenge in hottest part of the race around the outside of the field approaching the home turn and although he made some in-roads towards the eventual winner, Khairaat, he was always fighting a losing battle. Time may tell that he faced an impossible task trying gun down a potential pattern-race performer and with today’s track more conducive to hold-up runners, the son of Shirocco can put his useful turn of foot to good use in the latter stages.

George Scott is running at a nice healthy strike rate this season and those percentages look to have every chance of being bettered courtesy of ROAD TO DUBAI (best price 11-2) in this concluding three-year-old staying handicap. Three promising runs in maidens by the son of Aqlaam earned him a workable opening rating of 70 and on the evidence of his two performances in handicap company so far today, that early assessment looks to have been a bit short of the mark. Running a good deal better than his final finishing position suggested on his opening bow in his new discipline at Nottingham (runner-up Hertford Dancer landed the Lingfield Oaks trial subsequently), he backed up that view with a breakthrough success at Goodwood last time out. Always well positioned, the chestnut gelding stayed on really well in the closing stages of a race run at a decent tempo and given that he still looked a little raw once off the bridle in the final two furlongs, there’s every hope that there could be more to come. Moreover, his sectionals he posted in the latter part of that race at the Sussex venue compared favourably with Ajman Princess, who took the 1m 4f listed contest on the same card, and with a pedigree and run-style that suggests tonight’s extra trip should bring about further improvement, a positive display looks on the cards from this likable type.

As he was on his latest at Chester, Dahik is likely to prove all the rage in the betting but, given he was bitterly disappointing on the Roodee and he faces stiff competition in the shape of FAB (best price 7-2), Roger Varian’s inmate is once again worth taking on at the prices. Making her debut over today’s C&D, the daughter of Society Rock showed bright speed throughout and although she failed to live with the eventual winner Heartache in the latter stages, she still came out of the race clear second best. Indeed, time may tell that she probably bumped into a future pattern-race performer in the shape of Clive Cox’s charge (clocked a very fast time) and with that all-important run under her belt – even more so as it was over tonight’s course – she has every chance of gaining the day over the favourite based on the time figure she posted.

MAGNETIC FORCE (NAP) (best price 3-1) was probably given too much to do at Wexford last time out, but that said, he still nearly pulled it out of the fire from an unlikely position and that effort only went to confirm his current wellbeing. Prior to that smart effort, Robert Hennessy’s grey has also run a good deal better than his final finishing position suggested at Clonmel and with the form and time figures of both races looking extremely strong for the grade, he can bounce back to winning ways at a track that has served him well down the years.