Andy Holding's Friday Racing Tips

FIRE BRIGADE (NAP) (best price 9-4) has enjoyed a pretty fruitful season and his excellent run of form doesn’t look like ending soon based on his recent exploits at Haydock. Held up in traditionally patient fashion, Michael Bell’s inmate came through with a typically smooth run to lead at the furlong pole, and only having to be momentarily shaken up to pull clear inside the distance, he readily eased ahead without coming off the bridle. As all his best form has taken place on a soft surface, the forecast rain on an already easy surface will play into his hands and having already run well over today’s C&D with an excellent effort in a hot handicap the time before, the son of Firebreak rates a strong choice to continue his upward curve. The unexposed and lightly-raced Group 1 entry Cape Byron, looks the obvious threat.

Having not looked the most straightforward of characters the time before at Lingfield, it was good to see ASTUTE BOY (best price 15-2) lay that ghost to rest by finding plenty for pressure at Yarmouth last time out and hailing from a yard going through quite a purple patch at the moment, there’s a good deal of positivity surrounding his chance here this afternoon. Off the back of strong fractions at the seaside venue 17 days ago (fast overall speed figure), Ed Vaughan’s inmate had every opportunity to duck the issue if he were that way inclined, but he kept on pulling out more all the way down the straight to eventually wear down the well-fancied Mambo Dancer late on. Only up 5lb for that taking display, the son of Arcano still doesn’t looks too badly treated given his progressive profile and with a stiffer examination trip-wise also likely to suit, he appears slightly overpriced glancing at the early morning odds available.

AFAAK (best price 4-1) landed one of the better early-season three-year-old handicaps at Doncaster back in May (had the likes of subsequent winners Mojito, Auburge Du Lac and Marzouq in behind) and although he’s failed on his two subsequent starts to supplement those gains, fast ground has rather counted against Charlie Hills’ inmate. Strongly fancied to go well in the Britannia Handicap over today’s C&D after that success on Town Moor, the Oasis Dream colt ran as well as could be expected under the circumstances to finish a creditable seventh (third of the bigger group drawn on the stands side) and he ran to a similar level on his most recent outing at Newmarket, once again finding the underfoot conditions a little too lively for his liking. Given the weather forecast for this afternoon, any showers in the area will aid his cause more than most, and if he can obtain a little cover from his favourable draw right down the middle, there’s no reason why he won’t come through strong at the end.

Despite getting beat when a relatively short-priced favourite at Thirsk last time out, AFRICAN FRIEND (best price 7-2) still came out of the race as a horse to keep on side and he gets an immediate chance to put that theory to the test, taking on the more established sprinting fraternity for the second time in succession. Impressive when making all on his opening bow for the season at Windsor back in June (soft ground), Henry Candy’s inmate rather blew what chance he may have had at the Yorkshire venue 18 days ago with a tardy start that put him on the back foot straight away and in a race where the fractions were extremely honest throughout, there was no way he could make up the lost leeway. He did, however, stay on in pleasing fashion to finish a creditable third late on and providing he can hit the lids and race a little more prominently this time around, this lightly-raced four-year-old looks sure to be a big player on ground he will appreciate.

Mountain Hunter is likely to be a warm order arriving here with an unbeaten record of 2-2, but this is his all-weather debut and at the prices, he’s readily passed over in favour of ARAB MOON (best price 4-1) and BUSH HOUSE (best price 8-1) who are both proven over tonight’s C&D. Indeed, the former is the perfect 3-3 at the Surrey track and he completed the hat trick in pretty convincing style on his latest visit last month, coming from last to first in devastating fashion. The way he gunned his field down inside the last three furlongs was a sight to behold and clearly still on the upgrade based on that eye-popping performance, William Knight’s charge looks booked to run another huge race.

Given how the latter forged to victory here back in July, you can see why connections rolled the dice by running their charge in the Melrose Handicap at York last time out, but once again, Hugo Palmer’s inmate disappointed on the grass, categorically proving that he’s a synthetic track horse through and through. Since fitted with blinkers and racing on an all-weather track, the Canford Cliffs gelding has form figures of 221 and at top morning price of 12-1, he has to be worth a small dart at the board given those stats.