Andy Holding's Friday's Racing Tips & Previews

The maiden won by On The Warpath over today’s course 25 days up was a tear up on the numbers, so to have run so well on their debuts, both ONE MORE CHANCE (best price 9-2) and LOVE RAT (best price 16-1) command the utmost respect back in a similar contest on paper. The former was slowest away and found herself in a horrible position coming out of the back straight, but in finishing off his race in 36 and change from the three pole, David Brown’s inmate had to be given the highest of praise for that pleasing performance. Hopefully sharper out of the gates second time around, the daughter of Epaulette will surely be a big player in the outcome granted just normal improvement. The latter, who also dwelt a shade in the stalls, made up his ground in a particularly inefficient fashion – being rushed up around the outside to lie handy after two furlongs and although he kept on well enough down the straight, the early gas he used up took its toll late on. That said, Scott Dixon’s charge still comes out well on the figures despite running a race back to front, and this half-brother to fibresand winners, Crosse Fire and Misu Moneypenny rates a better prospect here than his morning price implies.

With a record of 0-20, EPITAPH (best price 7-2) couldn’t be recommended as a strong investment, but the combination of his fine performances at today’s venue and his speed figures make him an interesting proposition in a race as modest as the one he faces today. For instance, his effort when third here last time, took place in one of the strongest-run races run at the track so far this winter and it’s not as if he did too much wrong on his two previous visits to the East Midland venue. Having come from a background of solid displays over the extended mile at Wolverhampton, perhaps the drop back in trip might prove the key to him this afternoon, but either way, he will keep on plugging away better than most down the straight and that just might be good enough to see him home.

GHASEEDAH (NAP) (best price 11-10) posted a useful set of figures when landing a C&D maiden with a bit to spare and with the promise of more to come from this filly now connections have really found the key to her, she’s expected to make a big impact on what appears a lenient handicap mark. Shaping well in the first-time blinkers until not quite seeing out the trip over 7f at Chelmsford the time before, the drop back in trip seemed to really suit the daughter of Kyllachy 32 days ago as, after breaking alertly to race on top of the speed, she always looked in total control. Eased down to win without being subjected to anything more than a hands and heels ride, the four-year-old filly was still capable of running the last three furlongs in a useful 36 and change and with the runner-up, Ladies First, going on to advertise the form with a sound effort behind the very well-treated Jack The Truth next time, the assessor may have underestimated her capabilities off mark of just 67.

As ever, so many ifs and buts in a sprint handicap at this track, but the one thing you can rely on is that ONEOVERYOU (best price 4-1) will run her race come hell or high water and that makes her appealing each-way proposition at the morning prices. Badly in need of the run when behind Alfredo Arcano over the C&D back in November, Mark Fahey’s inmate turned the form around with her old rival when they next met several weeks later and a repeat of that performance gives her a great chance of confirming those placings. A horse that likes to race handy on the speed, a good draw from box 2 should allow the seven-year-old mare to hold a good early position and the one thing should does keep doing is finding plenty for pressure down the straight.

It’s difficult to say with any degree of certainty where MISS MIRABEAU (best price 9-2) would have finished but for clipping heels and crashing out here last time out, but given that she was still going well enough at the time, the overwhelming feeling was she would have been involved in the finish and that theory will hopefully be backed up on her return to the all-weather track this evening. Having her first run since winning on her final start at Chelmsford for Sir Mark Prescott, the daughter of Oasis Dream seemed to be travelling with a degree of comfort until disaster struck two out, but hopefully her confidence won’t be too unscathed as her form and profile was one of an improving filly on an all-weather surface.