Andy Holding's Saturday Racing Tips

SLANELOUGH (best price 6-1) proved no match for the well-handicapped Westend Story at Wetherby last time out, but as the winner was trapping along at the sort of pace better associated with two-milers rather than stayers (very fast final circuit compared to rest of card), Rose Dobbin’s inmate is afforded another chance without a rival of that magnitude in his way this afternoon. Prior to that useful effort, the six-year-old gelding also had the misfortune to bump into another well-treated sort in the shape of Huntsmans Son over today’s C&D and repeat of the same level of form should see him bang in the mix on ground that suits.

SIZING TENNESSEE (best price 3-1) has had rather a bad press on account of his jumping, but to be fair to the horse, he’s actually been much more reliable on his last two starts over fences and his form over the track and speed figures give him every chance providing he can put in a clear. Showing great tenacity to fend off the persistent challenge of Dual At Dawn over today’s course two starts ago, there was nothing wrong with his latest performance when making the highly-talented, Yanworth, pull out all the stops under similar conditions at the New Year’s Day fixture. Often ridden aggressively from the front, if he gets into a decent rhythm over the first couple of fences, Colin Tizzard’s inmate will certainly be taking quite a few of these into areas they haven’t previously encountered. 

Unless MISTER WHITAKER (best price 4-1) wins this race by a wide margin and goes up 10lb, he’s unlikely to get into the big 2m 4f handicap here back at the Festival off his current rating, which will be a shame, because he’s got the sort of profile and form which would give him a chance in a race of that nature, ordinarily (now open to horses rated 0-145 this year). Having clocked a decent speed figure when winning on his second start over fences at Carlisle, Mick Channon’s inmate stepped up markedly on that performance by being the only horse capable of living with the extremely talented Hell’s Kitchen at Kempton on Boxing Day and with the pair pulling well clear of a keenly-contested field, the form looks fairly solid, Indeed, if you compare the winner’s overall time and final lap sectionals to those posted by King George hero Might Bite, there was a good ten lengths between the two races in terms of distance, and given that the son of Court Cave had lost valuable momentum after a bad mistake four out, his effort deserves upgrading. Although it’s debateable whether he wants genuine soft winter ground, there’s no denying he remains a potentially well-handicapped young chaser and even if today doesn’t prove to be his day, rest assured there’ll be plenty more races to be won with this lightly-raced six-year-old further down the line. Worth a small saver to cover stake on the main selection.

The handicap won by Gold Present was a seriously good one on the numbers, so having run well to finish a creditable second and fourth respectively, both FRODON (best price 8-1) and O O SEVEN (best price 11-1) make plenty of appeal in this similarly competitive affair. The former has been a model of consistency in recent times and that run at the Berkshire venue was just another that showcased his talents. Looking the most likely winner approaching two out, he just didn’t quite see out the trip as well as the winner, but now dropping back to his optimum conditions over a track he’s gone well in the past, Paul Nicholls’ inmate has a decent chance of providing girl-of-the-moment, Bryony Frost, with yet another big Saturday winner.

The latter has also put in several classy performances during his time over fences and, he, too, has plenty of solid form over today’s course. Although he’s run well over 3m, he often has left the impression that distances a shade shorter are more ideal, and hailing from a jockey/trainer combination really seeing it at present, his double-figure morning quotes also make plenty of appeal.

Indian Hawk looked a bright prospect in the making when making a winning start for new connections at Ludlow last time out (clocked decent speed figure) and he seems likely to play a significant role with just normal improvement. However, predictably he’s been well found in the market, whereas SAMUEL JACKSON (NAP) (best price 13-2) appears to have been totally underestimated in the market for the third time in a row. A shock winner at 100-1 on rules debut at Taunton, the son of Alflora proved than success at the West Country track was no fluke by lowering the colours of the very highly-regarded Uppertown Prince at Bangor last time out (Donald McCain rates him as one of the best he’s had for quite some time) and with the pair pulling well clear of the rest in a fast time (both covered the last circuit 15 lengths quicker that the 2m hurdle won by Fin And Game), the form should turn out to be totally reliable. Although today’s assignment represents another step up the ladder, the figures he’s posted prove that he can run a pretty quick pace when the ground is testing and if he was housed in a bigger yard, there’s no doubt he’d be trading at a good deal shorter based on the form he’s shown so far to date.

Marias Benefit has carried all before her so far this season and is the clear choice for the ratings boys, but so far she’s been seen at her best when dominating her opposition from the front and with noted trail-blazer, Dame Rose, in today’s line-up, she rates a risky proposition at her skinny morning odds. Having already proven that a strong pace over today’s C&D suits her down to the ground, IRISH ROE (best price 13-2) is the advice as the value alternative as she certainly appears to have a better chance than her odds imply. True, her rating suggests she has plenty to find with several on today’s terms, but her speed figures point towards her being much better than what the handicapper currently thinks and even though she’s yet to be tested on ground as soft as what she encounters this afternoon, Peter Atkinson’s inmate has to be worth a small shy at the stumps.

In what should turn out to be a fascinating and thoroughly informative affair, BLACK OP (best price 6-1) is fancied to ruffle the feathers of some of the highly-regarded types down the front end of the market. A useful bumper horse, Tom George’s inmate has done precious little wrong on both his two hurdle starts to date, and following a promising beginning at Newbury over what turned out to be an insufficient test, he really came of age when upped in trip last time out. Although the seven-year-old didn’t have to beat much, the way he disposed of his rivals without never really coming out of second gear oozed class, and with the time figure he clocked actually suggesting he’d posted a much better performance than at first glance, he thoroughly deserves a shot at a race of this nature.

A cracking renewal of this Stayers Hurdle trial, and AGRAPART (best price 8-1) is the recommendation to gain his revenge on Wholestone and Co after a promising effort over a trip shorter than his best here last time out. A slow jump at the hurdle at the top of the hill when Lizzie Kelly and the horse had crossed wires, meant the seven-year-old was always on the back foot thereafter, but to his eternal credit, he kept on bravely enough to certainly suggest he may have been a more potent threat without that mishap. Staying stoically on the long run from the home bend to the line, the son of Martaline eroded quite a hefty sum of that lost leeway, and it’s easy to imagine with another half a mile to race, he would have had a decent shot of overhauling the eventual winner. Other than when the ground was way too fast for him the last season’s Stayers Hurdle, he has a pretty fine record over today’s course and if the track attracts some of the rain which is forecast throughout the day, his chances will continue to grow.