Andy Holding's Friday Racing Tips

PLANT POT POWER (best price 14-1) has yet to win a race in nine attempts so far this season, but he has run with great credit in defeat several times against some decent opposition and he rates a value each-way bet to go well again in this competitive-looking opener. Runner-up to the much-improved Kryptos earlier in the campaign, he went on to fill the same spot behind similarly progressive Musawaat at Newmarket three starts ago and although he could only manage fourth last time out at Chepstow, the speed figure of the race suggests he still ran up to a decent standard. Indeed, the third horse home at the Welsh track that day, Salt Whistle Bay, went on to advertise the form with a smooth win at Nottingham in midweek and with a nice middle draw, ground and trip all in his favour, it would be disappointing if he doesn’t hit the frame at the very least.

BERKSHIRE BOY (NAP) (best price 9-1) isn’t the most straightforward of characters, but when he’s on song he’s pretty useful and following a polished display at Chepstow which indicated his wellbeing last time out, he’s fancied to push hard for another victory here this afternoon. Often throwing his chance away with tardy starts, he broke much sharper and was always in the thick of the action at the Welsh venue 17 days and it was therefore no surprise to see him finish the job off inside the last two furlongs with some aplomb. Although he has got some useful form over a mile next to his name, his best efforts have all come over today’s trip and with one of those performances coming over today’s C&D behind the likes of Winning Ways, Bacchus and Rusamaat earlier in the campaign, a repeat of that standard should see him bang on the premises with a good break here today.

SURROUNDING (best price 11-4) ran an absolute blinder when coming best of those draw low in the ultra-competitive Irish Cambridgeshire last time out at the Curragh and having shown plenty of strong form previously over tonight’s track, Micky Halford’s inmate looks poised to go well on his return to the all-weather. A really nice imposing type – similar to money-spinner and stable mate Rummaging – the daughter of Lilbourne Lad impressed by the way she cruised her way into the lead in that big-field handicap at the Co Kildare venue and although she was eventually run out of the argument close home by the fast-finishing Elusive Time, the fact that she finished well ahead of the other 25 runners despite racing on the slowest part of the track indicates she’s a four-year-old of some promise. Having only had five career starts, there should be plenty more to come from this likable chestnut filly and a mark of 87 looks a pretty lenient mark given her list of achievements.

Of those at a much bigger price, a shout out has to go in the direction of ELUSIVE BEAUTY (best price 16-1) who ran a good deal better than her finishing position suggest at Leopardstown last time out. Making up ground hand over fist in a well-run 7f handicap, Ken Condon’s inmate ran into a wall of horses dropping back into her lap at the two-furlong pole and based on the theory she would have been heavily involved in the finish with a clear run, odds of 20-1 are too big to resist.