Andy Holding's Saturday Tips

MOJITO (NAP) (best price 9-4) ran a blinder in a hot three-year-old mile handicap at Doncaster last time out and this looks a decent opportunity for him to strike for the first time this season. Following a promising start to his campaign at Haydock, William Haggas’ inmate was sent off a warm favourite to a competitive field on Town Moor and although he failed in his bid to justify his position in the market, he still came out of the race with great credit. Not only was the time figure of the race in question very good, the fact he was forced to challenge away from the main action down the far side of the course counted against him in the final reckoning (got carried over by Rumpole) and with the fourth-placed horse, Auberge Du Lac going on to boost the form subsequent, the race looks a totally believable one. Back on better ground on a track that should suit, the son of Requinto can provide favourite backers with the perfect start to the day.

Big Country would have been an automatic choice here, but a wide draw and the possibility of genuine firm ground (goes on it but leaves impression will be better with some ease underfoot) just slightly tempers enthusiasm at the prices, so he’s passed over in favour of BROROCCO (best price 15-2) and KAPSTADT (best price 14-1). The former has cut a pretty frustrating figure since landing the City And Suburban earlier in the campaign, but on both occasions he’s been undone by the way the race has panned out rather than anything else. First of all at Chester, a poor track position and a relatively modest pace did him few favours and then at Epsom last time out his knickers got similarly twisted when he was screaming for some coming down the hill inside the final two furlongs. Although yet to encounter 1m 4f, he shapes like an extra two furlongs will suit and he certainly has the qualities to be a significant factor if he does stay.

The latter has been a model of consistency in recent times and he finally got his just rewards for a series of fine placed efforts with a win at Newmarket last time out. The feature of that race at HQ was the strong end-to-end gallop throughout and he, too, also shapes like the extra distance will help his cause.

Paul Midgley has proved many times in the past that he’s a dab hand at changing the fortunes of seemingly flagging sprinters and in recognising that TARBOOSH (best price 10-3) needed a wind op, the Yorkshire handler has another horse who could go on a rapid surge through the ranks. A keen goer through his races, the son of Bahamian Bounty kept leaving the impression something was holding him back as he often found less than anticipated off the bridle. However, on the evidence of what we witnessed last time out at Ripon, he looked a totally different proposition now that he can breathe more freely and given the way he quickened up and the time figure he posted at the Yorkshire venue, he could easily be up to this much stiffer task.

SEREFELI (best price 16-1) ran a good deal better than her final finishing position suggested at the Curragh last time out and she gets an immediate opportunity to settle that particular argument in this similar event. Off the back of a 90-day break when she’d been doubly successful on the all-weather at Dundalk, Pater Fahey’s mare was noted tucked away travelling well against the inside fence turning for home at the Co Kildare track, but unfortunately the gaps failed to materialise and she had to sit and suffer and take her medicine. Allowed to come home in her own time, she never really had a race eight days ago, but given how well she was going at the time, it’s easy to come to the conclusion she would have been involved in the finish. Clearly still off a good mark on the evidence of that display, the daughter of Footstepsinthesand go provide her in-form yard with yet more cheer (five winners in the last fortnight).

DANCING DUKE (best price 9-1) has yet to get his head in front, but he ran with sufficient promise here the other night to suggest at least a conversation about winning isn’t out of the question. In a competitive 1m 6f handicap, the Duke Of Marmalade gelding stayed on strongly in the closing stages to get within hailing distance of the well-backed pair Baby Jake and King’s Wharf, and if he can translate that level of form back over the smaller obstacles (has run well on several attempts over fences for current connections), there’s every chance he can outrun his double-figure quotes from a yard that had a nice winner here on Thursday evening.

BEN RUMSON (best price 17-2) has been in terrific form on the level of late and even though there’s more than a slight suspicion that he saves his best form for Fairyhouse (2-2), he’s still worth risking at the prices away from his happy hunting ground. His first victory at the Co Kildare track came last month when he came from a good way back to wear down his field late on and he duplicated those tactics yet again three days ago, getting up late on from another seemingly impossible position turning for home. Clearly in the form of his life at present, he has the look of a very well handicapped horse if he can adopt to this tight right-handed circuit at the first time of asking.