Andy Holding's Thursday Racing Tips

A wide open nursery, but both SHAYA (best price 16-1) and AMAZING ALICE (best price 12-1) have enough upside to warrant two small each-way plays against the field. The former has improved with every run and Roger Fell’s inmate did well to see out the 6f trip on the heavy at Chester last time out after being on the sharp end throughout.  Not only that, her speed figures point towards her being quite well treated off a mark of just 75, so providing she can handle the polytrack surface at the first time of asking, there’s a decent chance she will turn out to be very competitive on nursery bow.

The latter is one of the most exposed members of the field, but at the same time, that experience might turn out to be a blessing in disguise – especially as most of her performances have derived from a polytrack surface. Indeed, two of her best speed figures have taken place over tonight’s C&D and with a good clean break, she can make them all go from the front.

Although MIRIMAR (NAP) (best price 3-1) failed in his bid to supplement previous Lingfield gains at Chepstow last time out, there were still plenty of positives to take out of his defeat at the hands of Meyandi at the Welsh venue. In what turned out to be a very slow early pace, Ed Vaughan’s inmate was way too keen for his own good in the first half mile, but despite expending plenty of valuable energy, to his eternal credit, he kept on willingly in the last three furlongs to finish a game runner-up to the well-handicapped winner. Although his conqueror got beat under a penalty when returning to the same course next time out, the heavy ground that day was the contributory factor to his demise and the son of Kalanisi is better judged on the fact he finished well clear of the rest 22 days ago. Still well treated on the evidence of that display, the three-year-old might just have too much quality for today’s opposition on ground that will suit.

LA ISLA BONITA (best price 15-2) has yet to run on anything other than a polytrack surface and she looks to have fine prospects of adding to her list of recent positives results. A winner for the first time at Wolverhampton three starts ago, Richard Spencer’s inmate didn’t get the clearest of runs when bidding to follow up back at the same track four days later and although she failed in her bid to get back on track here last time out, her first encounter over a mile, just stretched her stamina to the limit close home. Back over her preferred trip tonight, the daughter of Foxwedge should be good enough to hit the frame at the very least.