Andy Holding's Saturday Racing Tips

A cracking start to the day at the home of National hunt racing and in a race where there looks to be a multitude of permutations depending on how the contest pans out, SHANTOU VILLAGE (best price 15-2) and DELL’ ARCA (best price 20-1) make plenty of appeal having both shown up prominently in the Kerry National at Listowel last time out. 

The former went into that contest at the Co Kerry venue 45 days ago rejuvenated after a smooth success at Worcester previously, but after plenty of rain in the build up to the contest, his obvious claims were diminished courtesy of the soft ground on the day. Despite this huge negative, Neil Mulholland’s gelding still travelled extremely well for large majority of the journey until his stamina gave way after jumping two out, but now back on a much more appreciable surface at a track where he’s gone well in the past, the eight-year-old is expected to put up a bold show. 

The latter has been a grand servant for connections over the years and even though there’s an argument to be made that his best days might be behind him, his latest efforts suggest that could be a premature judgement. Bouncing back to form when landing a competitive handicap hurdle at Uttoxeter back in July, David Pipe’s gelding proceeded to follow up in an amateur-rider contest back on the Flat, but it’s his latest performance which really does command the utmost respect.

Despite belting one really hard early on, the son of Sholokhov still travelled extremely well throughout the strongly-run 3m affair and if it wasn’t for him hitting a momentary flat spot rounding the home turn, there’s little doubt he would have finished closer than his eventual fourth-place position. Clearly in terrific heart at present with the old spring back in his step, the nine-year-old doesn’t have to improve much on that run 45 days ago to be a major contender here this afternoon and he looks a insulting price at 20-1 as a result. 

SHOOT FOR GOLD (best price 5-1) may have only landed a minor maiden event at Windsor last time out, but the manner of his performance and numbers he posted that day suggested he’s a very smart prospect and he’s certainly worth his place in today’s Group 1 event from a set-up who’ve enjoyed a great season with their juveniles. 

Victim of a slow start and the dreaded high draw when also looking badly in need of the outing at Newbury on debut, Saeed Bin Suroor’s colt proved to be a totally different proposition next time out at Windsor when jumping onto the speed early, he scampered away from his rivals in the straight to win by a wide margin. Not only did the son of Sea The Stars post a useful overall speed figure at the Berkshire venue, his closing sectionals from four-furlongs out were the best on card and given that he was very strong in the latter part of that contest and is bred to get further, this middle-distance project for next year should be in his element over today’s 1m 2f trip.

Chairmanoftheboard made a spectacular start to his career with a wide margin success at Goodwood 13 days ago and with the time figure suggesting it was a performance of some merit, it’s clear why punters have been falling over themselves to back Mick Channon’s exciting two-year-old all week (was 5-1 when ante-post betting opened).

Whether he’s a genuine 6-4 chance now, however, in what looks a deep renewal of this Group 3 prize is open to question, and if you are looking for a solid each-way alternative AZANO (best price 9-2) fits that criteria perfectly. Down the field when not mentally switched on to what was happening on debut, John Gosden’s juvenile proved a totally different proposition last time out at Yarmouth and the fact that the son of Oasis dream managed to score by a wide margin in a fast time figure makes him an equally intriguing contender here.

Clearly the addition of a tongue-tie made all the difference to this colt and easier ground and as he’s drawn right next to his main market rival down the favoured middle part of the track, it should allow his jockey, Kieran Shoemark, to keep alive as to what’s going on around him. Mohaather, who overcame a pronounced track bias at Nottingham to score in a fast time, looks best of those at double-figure odds and shouldn’t be dismissed.

Aidan O’Brien has captured this prize no fewer than eight times, so clearly Magna Grecia has to be respected, but whether he should be that far ahead of PHOENIX OF SPAIN (best price 5-1) in the betting is open to debate and for that reason, Charlie Hills’ colt rates the percentage call on pure value grounds.

Following an eye-catching debut, the son of Lope De Vega duly made no mistake at Wolverhampton next time out and despite his lack of experience against the very best company, he still had enough class to lower the colours of some useful juveniles in the Acomb Stakes at York on his next start.

Although beaten by Too Darn Hot fair and square on the day over today’s course last time out, he was the only horse in the race to offer any sort of resistant to John Gosden’s crack two-year-old and with the winner going on to frank the form with a resounding victory in the Dewhurst two weeks ago, this scopey grey has as good a profile as anything in the field.

HEARTS ARE TRUMPS (NAP) (best price 9-4) scored with more in hand than the bare result suggests over today’s C&D last time out and providing he ships up again in the same sort of shape, Desmond McDonogh’s five-year-old looks to have a cast-iron opportunity to follow up.

Slightly unlucky when caught out by the tight nature of the track the time before at Ballinrobe, the Oscar gelding found the return to this much more demanding track playing into his strengths 18 days ago and the way he quickened up before being heavily eased down in the closing stages pointed towards a horse right in top of his game at present.

With one of his main market rivals, Off You Go, also owned by J.P Mcmanus in the field, it will be interesting to see how the betting shapes up between the pair in the build up to the race, but with Charles Byrnes’ top-weight arriving here off the back of a lengthy layoff and likely to need the run, race fitness of the selection could well turn out to be the key. 

Fergal O’Brien had a strong team of bumper horses at his disposal last season and with STRONG GLANCE (best price 7-1) being one of the more highly-regarded at his Naunton home, the scopey five-year-old is fancied to make a bright start to the new campaign.

Impressing by the manner in which he quickened off the back of strong fractions on his debut at Southwell last November, the son of Passing Glance was strongly fancied to vindicate that original impression he created in a hot contest at Ascot next time out.

However, having raced keenly and without cover for the majority of the journey in a steadily-run contest at the Berkshire track, he could only keep on at the same pace in the latter stages, but with his good-ground action likely to be better served by conditions at Prestbury park this afternoon, this promising type cam feature prominently in what looks to be an informative affair.