Andy Holding's Saturday Racing Tips

Funny results go hand-in-hand with soft ground and horses being over the top having had a hard season at this time of year and this contest looks prime for an upset with both VINTAGER (best price 7-1) and ARCHIE MCKELLAR (best price 25-1) doing more than enough to suggest they are up for the giant-killing act. The former ran out an impressive winner on debut at Newmarket back in August and with the time figure and subsequent form indicating there was no fluke about the performance, the Mastercraftsman colt was quite rightly dispatched to Sandown to tackle the Group 3 Sirenia Stakes. Unfortunately, things didn’t pan out quite as expected as he got stranded towards the back of the field early, but he did keep on willingly enough down the outside late on to suggest back on different ground he could be more of a potent force.

 The latter needs a little more explaining, as he arrives with only a maiden victory next to his name. However, the race in question at Kempton the other night was noted for its strong pace and the way he quickened up to turn away several smart colts inside the final two furlongs suggests he’s well worth a try in better company. Moreover, he comes from a stable that took this race last year with a similar type in the shape of Pleasepleaseme and, as he’s already proven himself on soft ground the time before at Salisbury, odds of 25-1 are simply way too tempting to resist. 

INVINCIBLE RYKER (best price 13-2) looked a three-year-old going places when scoring in tidy fashion at Dundalk last time out and he’s taken to confirm that theory on his return to the turf. A game runner-up in two heavy ground maidens earlier in the campaign, Micky Halford’s charge left the impression he really appreciated the less demanding surface at the Dublin venue 25 days ago, and with the time figure and subsequent form of those in behind that day all pointing towards it being a solid effort by this scopey sort, a mark of 81 doesn’t appear too taxing for his handicap bow.

WHATAKNIGHT (best price 10-1) ran really well considering he totally blew the start at Newton Abbot last time out and as that performance came off the back of a 153-day layoff, it’s pretty safe to expect a good deal of improvement to come from Harry Fry’s eight-year-old. Uncharacteristically shying away from the tapes at the West Country venue, the son of Midnight Legend found himself with quite a task on his hands from an early juncture, but the way he stayed on in the latter stages to get within hailing distance of the front two, suggested he would have gone very close to scoring based on the amount of ground he gave away. Having run perfectly respectably on his two previous visits to today’s track and with ground to suit, a decent run looks on the cards from this likable sort.

SPRING LOADED (NAP) (best price 11-2) looks in rare old rare old form at the moment and although there’s a slight nagging doubt as to whether he’ll be fully effective over the minimum trip, he’s fancied to overcome that small negative. In a well-run Portland Handicap two starts ago, Paul D’Arcy’s grey was fully in charge well within the five-furlong range and the turn of foot he showed in the latter stages of that contest certainly didn’t suggest a lack of basic speed was an issue. Take out the massively improving Terentum Star at York last time out and the son of Zebedee would have followed up in convincing fashion and as he’s drawn over towards the far side where all the pace is likely to be generated, the race should set up nicely for his power-packed finish in the latter stages.

BIG TIME MAYBE (best price 3-1) posted a big set of numbers when getting off the mark at the seventh time of asking at Kempton last time out and with several in behind all going on to prove the value of the form subsequently, Tom Dascombe’s inmate is confidently expected to repeat the dose. Breaking smartly from the inside gate at the Surrey track, the Dandy Man gelding was always in control and with the likes of Bath and Tennis and Lady Dancealot comfortably held in behind, he was clearly beating a decent standard of opponent. Clearly the tongue-tie/cheekpiece combination worked wonders for this pretty sharp two-year-old, and providing he can break cleanly and get across from his slightly tricky draw in stall eight, he should prove difficult to catch over this sharp five furlongs.