Andy Holding's Tuesday Racing Tips

LAKE VOLTA (best price 9-2) did well to last as long as he did given the strong pace he set from the start at Dundalk last time out, but he should be a more viable proposition now dropping back to 6f and he’s worth another chance to regain the winning thread. Prior to that sterling effort at the Dublin track, Mark Johnston’s inmate had the misfortune to bump into two above-average colts by all-weather standards at Kempton and even though he couldn’t quite go with the quality duo in question that day, he still posted a big speed figure in defeat. Likely to take up the cudgels from an early stage, the son of Raven’s Pass will certainly not want to die not knowing from the front. 

If there is going to be a fly in the ointment to the big players, SAROOKH (best price 6-1) is one capable of causing a mini-surprise based on the numbers he posted at Kempton last time out. Although the fractions weren’t that strong in the early stages at the Surrey venue 27 days ago, Roger Varian’s inmate still impressed by the turn of foot he displayed in the latter part of race and in stopping the clock in an eye-watering 33.8 for the final 3f, he went into the hall of fame for being one of the few horses to dip under the magical 34.0 second barrier at the track from that point (Invincible Army the only other two-year-old to earn this accolade). The only negative here might be his tricky draw in stall nine (might not get an early cover), but he has far too much talent to be left out of calculations and is worth the risk at his morning odds.

By the time they run the last race here today, the ground should be pretty churned up around the inside, so with that likely to be the case, SIEMPRE AMIGOS (best price 8-1) can utilise her run style of coming off the pace, late and wide, and take advantage of the bias towards the stands side in the home straight. Gavin Cromwell’s filly first sprung to prominence when trying to execute those tactics at Galway three starts ago and although she failed in her bid to follow a similar path next time out at Roscommon, her last to third effort in the last three furlongs was noted for its industry. As hold up runners are never seen to that good effect at Dundalk, a trip to the all-weather venue was never likely to bear fruit last time out, but a return to soft ground and a big field should see the daughter of Fast Company in her element. 

FOUR KINGDOMS (NAP) (best price 5-2) has only raced on an all-weather surface once – so there are risks attached – but his time figure when upped in trip at Yarmouth last time was such that he’s worth chancing to translate the form showed on turf back to polytrack. In a race run at a sound clip at the seaside venue, Karl Burke’s inmate impressed how comfortably he was able to travel at speed, and given that he posted a faster furlong-per-furlong time than the listed contest won by the 102-rated Aljezeera half an hour earlier, he clearly has the capabilities of making a mockery of his current handicap mark of just 59 providing this surface isn’t a barrier (did stay on well over an inadequate 1m on the Tapeta).