Andy Holding's Friday Racing Tips

BORUMA (best price 11-4) has already proven his likely for today’s unique track many times over and following a pleasing success at the last meeting a month ago, the son of Brian Boru is strongly fancied to provide local connections with another victory at the Cumbrian venue. Shaping as though he required further when a keeping-on fourth behind Curious Carlos the time before, Jimmy Moffatt’s inmate shipped up here two days later and made no mistake over an extra five furlongs. Always travelling best, the six-year-old stayed on very strongly in the latter stages to pull well clear of his field, and in posting a useful overall time, he also clocked a faster final lap 3.7 seconds quicker than his stable mate Lough Kent, who took the concluding handicap hurdle over half a mile shorter.

Having travelled well for a long way in the ultra-competitive London Gold Cup at Newbury last time, CENTURY DREAM (best price 2-1) left the impression his stamina was stretched to the limit in the latter stages, so it makes perfect sense for connections to drop him back to a more suitable trip here this afternoon. Prior to that excellent effort at the Berkshire track, Simon Crisford’s inmate was probably a little too keen for his own good when trying to duplicate his previous all-the-way success at Nottingham towards the backend of last season, but with the hood on for the first time to hopefully pacify any wayward tendencies, he should be capable of going close on ground that will suit.

As he proved conclusively last time out at Haydock, FIRE BRIGADE (best price 4-1) is a pretty useful piece of kit when he gets his conditions and even though he keeps gradually nudging himself up the ratings, he still looks on the right side of the handicapper. Yet to run a bad race in six starts since being gelded over the winter, Michael Bell’s charge first served notice that he’s a horse going places when landing a competitive handicap at Newmarket three starts ago. Despite the ground being far from ideal, he still managed to fill the frame in the Silver Bowl at Haydock next time and that run clearly stood him in good stead for his return visit to the Lancashire venue last time out. Once again held up out the back door, the son of Firebreak made up a tremendous amount of ground in the hottest part of the race and despite being under siege for the thick end of a furlong, he managed to fend off all comers in a wild finish. Only up another 4lb for that gutsy victory, he arrives here right on top of his game and with soft underfoot conditions to suit, it would be a huge surprise if he wasn’t bang in the thick of the action at the business end.

As is often the case, three-year-olds at this time of year often run amok in all-age handicaps and that could well turn to be a similar scenario where MA FEE HEELA (best price 11-2) is concerned on her first attempt in this new discipline. Off the mark at the third time of asking at Dundalk back in May, Michael O’Callaghan’s inmate has run two fine races in defeat at Leopardstown and Limerick respectively and as both races in question come out extremely well on the speed figures, she should have enough qualities to figure prominently in a contest of this nature off what appears a reasonable mark of 88.

As he’s proved time and time again, Willie Mullins loves nothing more than putting one over on the Flat boys and in the shape of RIVEN LIGHT (NAP) (best price 10-3), the Co Carlow handler has another likely sort to follow in the hoof prints of Whiteout and Thomas Hobson in recent times. Although the son of Raven’s Pass hasn’t run on the level for 663 days, fitness shouldn’t be an issue because he’s been plying his trade to a very high standard over hurdles during the winter/spring period. Indeed, his latest effort when runner-up to stable mate Montalbano in a quality conditions novice hurdle at the Punchestown Festival represents solid form and coming from a background of many useful performances from his native land on soft ground in the past, this five-year-old has the look of a seriously well-handicapped horse.