Andy Holding's Saturday Racing Tips

The race won by Buzz at Newbury last month was noted for its very smart overall speed figure and having played a significant role in the final outcome, both MOUNTAIN ANGEL (best price 5-1) and EXHORT (best price 14-1) make plenty of appeal in this similarly tricky-to-solve handicap. 

The former has been a credit to connections throughout the season and having got off the mark at the first time of asking at Ascot in May, Roger Varian’s gelding has continued the progressive theme despite not winning. Placed efforts in quality handicaps ensued and his latest effort when runner-up to Hughie Morrison’s improving grey epitomised his consistency.

Travelling well throughout at the Berkshire track, the son of Dark Angel probably hit the front too soon in the testing conditions (two furlongs out) and he was eventually collared close home by a horse who sees out the trip well. Now that the four-year-old has conclusively proven that he stays 1m 2f well, David Egan can ride him with plenty of confidence and providing his run can be delivered a little later this time around, there’s no reason why he won’t go close.

The latter was ultimately well beaten in the same race, but she did keep on well once headed over two furlongs out and now heading back to a track where she’s gone well in the past, Sir Michael Stoute’s filly has a puncher’s chance of turning around the form.

A winner over the course back in July, the daughter of Dutch Art ran well enough despite racing on unsuitable fast ground on her next visit to the Knavesmire a month later and with the evidence of her last two performances suggesting she’s holding her form together well, the three-year-old filly rates a value each-way proposition at a juicy-looking price.

“Don’t put the blame on me” if ONLYHUMAN (best price 13-2) doesn’t win here, but Edward Lynam’s gelding has all the right credentials to go close and he’s worth a decent bet at the morning odds. Yet to win in three starts so far this season, the son of Invincible Spirit, however, has performed to a fair standard on each outing and his latest effort when a narrow-margin runner-up to the Galway specialist Dream Walker only further advertises his current wellbeing.

A proper soft ground horse who is still open to further improvement, the more rain they get in the area the better his chance. Gentle J rates the danger if she can repeat her spectacular Galway win but she can be a little temperamental, so who knows what sort of mare is going to turn up today.

The two-year-old affair won by San Donato at Haydock last month produced a time figure which suggested it was ‘Group-race maiden’ and having gone through the contest like the best horse for nine-tenths of the journey, HELLO YOUMZAIN (best price 7-1) mustn’t be missed as he travels over to France in a bid to plunder some valuable black type.

A smooth winner on soft ground at Carlisle early in the campaign, the son of Kodiac was strongly-fancied to defy his penalty at the Merseyside track 37 days ago, but in a protracted dual with the eventual winner, he just came off second best in a driving finish. The form of the contest looks even stronger given the subsequent performances of his conqueror that day and the third and sixth both winning, and in a race which doesn’t appear the strongest on paper for the grade, it will be disappointing if Kevin Ryan colt doesn’t come up to scratch.

Despite farming most of the big staying handicaps this side of the Irish Sea, surprisingly Willie Mullins’ has yet to land this race, but there’s a decent chance that his poor record might change with the likes of either LOW SUN (best price 9-1) and URADEL (best price 22-1) fancied to play a leading role.

The former - a useful hurdler - has transferred some of his smart form from the winter game on to the Flat in recent times and his victory over a big-field of quality handicappers at the Curragh over 2m back in June, suggested he’s taken his game to another level. Back over jumps, the son of Champs Elysees proved he had stamina in abundance when capturing one of the most keenly-contested handicaps over 2m 7f at the Galway Festival two months later and that ability to see out the trip well in a rough-and-tumble contest is going to be a vital asset in a race of this nature today.

Although disappointing slightly when last seen at Bellewstown, the 1m 4f trip around a tight track that day would have been an insufficient test for five-year-old, but at the same time, it meant he qualified for this race without resorting to a hard race and he comes here fresh and well and ready to hit the straps.

The latter also managed to score at the Galway Festival but on this occasion his victory came courtesy of the big amateur rider contest on day-one of the week-long jamboree at Ballybrit. Despite racing wide throughout, the son Kallisto still had too much pace for stable mate Limini (won since) in the latter stages and with the pair pulling well clear in a fast time, the form looks solid. Also qualifying courtesy of that same race at Bellewstown 45 days ago, the seven-year-old should just about be at fever-pitch and with a decent record of going well fresh, he should give a good account.

Five of Richard Newland’s last eight runners have won, and there’s every chance that LE PATRIOTE (best price 6-1) can add further cheer to the Worcestershire handler in this traditional and valuable pot. Catching the eye on his first two starts for new connections last season, the six-year-old gelding finally delivered the goods when well-backed to do so in a competitive handicap hurdle at Ascot back in February. Taking well to the first-time pieces at the Berkshire track, the son of Poliglote was always just doing enough that day despite idling on the run-in and with the time figure backing up the visual aspect of the performance, it was no wonder he went to Sandown for his next outing strongly fancied to repeat the dose. Unfortunately, he never figured at the Esher track over a trip short of his optimum, but he returns to action a fresh horse with plenty in his favour and he will be one of the few who will enjoy the soggy underfoot conditions.

MASTER CARPENTER (best price 5-1) may have only just scrambled home at Goodwood last time out, but the time figure he posted that day was very good and he makes plenty of appeal knowing he’s in such fine form heading back to a track that has served him well in the past. Fast ground has rather blighted Rod Millman’s gelding’s chances on many occasions this season, but given some cut in the ground which he faced at the Surrey venue 17 days ago, he proved he can still perform to a useful level.

Despite being carried left inside the final furlong, the veteran still proved equal to the task in wearing down the tenacious Zlatan and with the form already working out well courtesy of the third running well at Windsor on Monday, there’s no obvious reason why the son of Mastercraftsman won’t go well under ideal conditions.ur and he will be one of the few who will enjoy the soggy underfoot conditions.

YAA MOUS (NAP) (best price 3-1) seems to be improving at a rapid rate of knots and she rates a cracking bet to confirm her recent at Leicester was no flash in the pan. In a race run at a very strong pace for the grade, the daughter of Farhh came from a long way back to hit the front over a furlong out and then once headed by the fast-finishing Pure Shores, she showed great battling qualities to regain the initiative close home.

With the runner-up going on to show just how strong the form is at Nottingham in midweek, the case for Mike Murphy’s filly’s is further bolstered, and having run better than the bare form suggests in a decent maiden on her only previous visit to tonight’s track, everything looks set fair for a bold show over a trip which should suit.