Andy Holding's Saturday Horse Racing Tips

The race won by Nebo at Newbury three weeks ago has worked out well since, so GRAND KOONTA (best price 9-2), having shaped well to finish a creditable fourth, has to be of some interest here second time up with that all-important run under his belt. Breaking alertly from his unfavoured wide draw in stall 13, Clive Cox’s inmate travelled really well for the first two furlongs until the combination of having to race on the slowest part of the track and the soft ground took its toll inside the distance. That said, given the calibre of opposition in front and behind him that day (Westerland, Billy Dylan and Enjazaat all won since), it was more than a promising start by the son of Dark Angel and he rates a cracking each-way betting medium hailing from a stable doing really well with their two-year-olds at present.

ECCLESTONE (best price 8-1) was slightly unlucky not to be involved in the finish of a red-hot handicap at Ripon three days ago and he’s taken to gain some sort of compensation in this similar contest. Held up off the back of very strong fractions, Danial Tudhope was just bringing his mount with what looked to be a potent challenge at the two-furlong pole when he got his path blocked by a couple of horses dropping back into his lap. Noted doing some good late work once finally out in the clear, David O’Meara’s inmate still had plenty left in the tank as he went through the line and returning to a track where he’s been successful in the past on ground that should suit, there’s every reason to feel upbeat about his chance. Others of interest would be Snap Shot who also figured heavily in that race at the Yorkshire track, while Major Pusey comes into the equation on the basis of his fast speed figure at Windsor last time out.

HOT BEAT (best price 12-1) still remains an unknown quantity to a degree, but he has enough upside to warrant a shy at the stumps on his return to the turf. Listed-place when with previous connections in Germany, the son of Dylan Thomas has run to a decent level since joining his new UK base and on the second of those three starts, he really impressed with the turn of foot he exhibited when landing a competitive 12f handicap at Wolverhampton. Upped in trip on his latest outing at Newcastle, David Simcock’s gelding just got caught out tactically as the race developed into a sprint finish down the home straight, but even so, he still ran respectably to get within two lengths of the very smart all-weather specialist Natural Scenery, who was much better positioned throughout. Nicely drawn in the centre of the field, he should be able to survey the scene from somewhere in the middle of the pack before delivering a potent challenge in the final quarter mile. Jaameh ran out a fairly convincing winner at Chester last time out and has to be of some interest, but it might well have been a different story had BYRON FLYER (best price 8-1) obtained a clear run that day. Noted travelling best of all as the field turned into the straight on the Roodee, Ian Williams’ inmate got no run whatsoever from the two pole onwards and in the end he had to sit and suffer and be saved for another day. Prior to that unlucky effort, the Byron gelding had been in cracking form over the winter under both codes and given that he still remains relatively unexposed on turf, there could be more to come from this durable six-year-old.

IDYLLIC ACRYLIC (NAP) (best price 11-1) looked on good terms with herself when finally getting off the mark at the seventh time of asking at Fairyhouse last week and she appears to have quite a bit in her favour in her bid to supplement those gains. Always travelling well just in behind the speed at the Co Kildare track, Mark Roper’s charge quickened up nicely when a gap appeared inside the final two furlongs and quickly assuming command, she had the race in safekeeping thereafter. Moreover, her winning time and final three-furlongs sectionals were almost identical to the 89-rated Hailstone who took the three-year-old conditions race earlier over the same C&D, so based on those findings she’s clearly much better than the 70 mark she was rated going into that contest nine days ago. Having already got some decent form over today’s course in the bag back in the day, and with conditions to suit (form on heavy), a big run can be expected from this daughter of Art Connoisseur from her potentially favourable draw (presuming they migrant towards the stands side).

Jessica Harrington must be pinching herself every day in order to try and come to terms with what’s been happening to her form over the last few months, but while it still shows no sign of stopping, every runner, including NEVERUSHACON (best price 13-2) here, all have to be taken extremely seriously. Mid-division in the apprentice Derby over today’s course when last seen on the Flat over a year ago, the son of Echo Of Light has since gone on to run many commendable races over jumps in the interim period, so returning to the level off a considerably lower mark pro-rata with his chase mark (136), there’s a decent chance he can make a big impact.