Andy Holding's Friday Horse Racing Tips

PETROU (best price 11-10) could have won with Big Daddy on his back at Southwell the other day so easy, easy (one for old school ITV sport wrestling fans), was his success, and hailing from a stable who are making a habit of striking while the iron is hot with summer jumpers, Dan Skelton’s inmate is strongly fancied to follow up. Workmanlike rather than spectacular on his first start from his Warwickshire base two starts ago, the Mountain High gelding was far more impressive two days ago and judged on the way he really opened up once given the office after the second last, it will take a smart effort by one of his rivals here tonight to stop him once he’s in full cry.

BLAIRMAYNE (best price 10-1) has shaped quite well on his first three outings of the campaign and he looks just about ready to strike following an eye-catching effort at the Curragh last time out. Racing over an inadequate 5f trip, the son of Zebedee kept on well in the closing stages after getting himself outpaced at halfway, and returning to the scene of two of his best performances last season – one of which was a C&D win – he’s fancied to play a significant role in the outcome from his favourable low draw.

CURIOUS CARLOS (NAP) (best price 5-2) bounced back to something resembling his very best form at Cartmel last time out and a repeat of the standard he showed that day should make Peter Bowen’s charge very competitive once again. In the doldrums for majority of last season, the son of Overbury clearly benefitted from a wind operation based on his performance at the Cumbrian venue and with the time figure and subsequent form of those in behind him that day, all pointing towards it being a very useful race of its kind (Restraint Of Trade and Boruma both won since), the eight-year-old can go well again at track where he’s shown some decent form in the past.

The three-year-old mile handicap won by Afaak at Doncaster was a very good race of its kind based on the figures, so having shown up prominently in that excellent heat on Town Moor, MARZOUQ (best price 11-4) is taken to build on that promising display. Returning from a six-week break, Jeremy Noseda’s charge was entitled to probably need the run on the rain-softened ground that day, and that’s how it transpired with him just getting a little tired in the closing stages having raced on the sharp end throughout. Prior to that, the son of Spring At Last had made the progressive Tricorn pull out all the stops in a decent contest at Newmarket and a repeat of either of those two efforts should make sure he’s hugely competitive once again tonight.