Andy Holding's Friday Racing Tips

KING ALFONSO (best price 9-2) was totally comfortable with the strong pace set by the useful 129-rated Azzuri when scoring over today’s C&D last time out and with a similar set of circumstances looking likely courtesy of Little Pop being in today’s line-up, Dai Burchell’s charge has a great opportunity to go in again. Despite the small field, there was certainly no hiding place in that useful novices’ chase here 17 days ago and with his overall time figure and sectionals suggesting he ran way beyond his rating of 101, the son of Desert King still looks potentially well treated of just a 8lb higher perch.

MUSTASHRY (NAP) (best price 5-1) has really got his act together of late and following a tremendous effort on the figures at York last time out, Sir Michael Stoute’s inmate rates a decent bet at his morning odds to complete a hat trick. Going into that well-contested race on the Knavesmire off the back of a strong performance in a hot handicap at Chelmsford, the Tamayuz colt picked up really powerfully in the closing stages to wear down a stellar field by Group 3 standards and with his sectionals for the backend of the contest quicker than the two sprints run on the same card, it just goes to show what kind of form the four-year-old is in at present. Providing the ground isn’t too soft, he should be capable of running up to a very high standard.

With a rating of 101 thanks to a couple of useful efforts in pattern company, Coat Of Arms is an obvious favourite to land this maiden, but things won’t be quite as straightforward as his morning odds suggests with the promising THRAVE (best price 4-1) in attendance. The race won by Fortune’s Pearl on the July course was a pretty smart one on the speed figures and given that there was a huge bias towards those racing towards the nearside fence that day, Henry Candy’s charge did remarkably well to finish as close as he did to the winner from his wide track position. Clearly better than the bear result suggests and likely to have come on considerably for that initial experience, the Sir Percy colt rates the proverbial each-way bet to nothing in a race where not too many count.

Although yet to win a race in eight starts, NIMITZ (best price 6-1) has long held the belief that there are plenty of races to be won with him and tonight’s contest represents a decent opportunity for that theory to materialise. Bad draws resulting in poor track positions have scuppered his winning chances on his last four starts, yet he’s still managed to run to a reasonable level despite being dealt a pretty shoddy hand. His latest effort when staying on well from the coffin box draw at Leopardstown polarises his recent issues (22 of 22), but there shouldn’t be too many excuses this evening being draw on the inside racing on a surface which should also suit.

DE CORONADO (best price 16-1) may have quite a bit to find on the official figures, but he appears to be improving at a rapid rate of knots and as most of his best performances have taken place over tonight’s course, there’s a decent a chance he can bridge the gap between handicaps and pattern company. Two wins and a third on his three visits to the Dublin track, the latest of those victories over tonight’s C&D came here in a contest run at a true gallop throughout last week and, with his closing three-furlong sectional of 34.8 noted as being the best on the eight-race card, this big, strapping son of Street Cry clearly covers the ground better than his current rating suggests.

Hopefully, the form of the race won by De Coronado will be sufficiently boosted enough by that horse half an hour earlier to warrant a degree of confidence surrounding the chances of SPRUCE MEADOW (best price 9-2) in this handicap. A creditable third behind Aidan O’Brien’s inmate represented yet another smart effort by John Feane’s charge at tonight’s venue (form figures of 12311713) and it should put the four-year-old spot on in his bid to repeat last year’s success in this corresponding contest.