Andy Holding's Friday Racing Tips

MICK MANHATTAN (best price 14-1) was ultimately beaten a fair way on his hurdling debut, but as the time figure suggested, the main players were trapping along at a rapid rate of knots for the level and shaping as though he would be all the better for the run, Evan Williams’ gelding makes fair more appeal today now racing over a trip more in-keeping with his profile. Turning for home at the Welsh venue, the son of Blue Bresil latched on to the coat tails of the leaders, but from that point onwards he became outpaced and he could only plug on at the one speed down the straight. Looking more like a stayer than a two-mile horse on the evidence of that display, hopefully he will improve over today’s longer trip and with his ability to at least handle the unique and testing nature of the track’s surface, the four-year-old can easily outrun his morning odds.

COMMANCHE RED (best price 7-1) doesn’t have the same sexy profile as some of his rivals, but what he does seem to have is a likable and tough attitude and with that trait being half the battle with these National Hunt horses, Chris Gordon’s stable star can lower the colours of some more illustrious names. An eye-catching and promising third to subsequent Cheltenham winner Strong Glance in a hot bumper run at a sound pace at Southwell on debut last season, the son of Mahler wasted no time in vindicating the impression he created that day with a resounding success at Kempton next time out – beating a smart sort in the shape of Beakstown (bought for 400k since and won at Uttoxoter last week). A creditable sixth in the Aintree bumper on his final start last season, the five-year-old made a bright start to his new discipline when staying on strongly in the latter stages to ultimately score by a wide margin at Fontwell off the back of a 176-day break and with stamina very much his number one attribute, one would imagine he’ll be asked to race quite aggressively in order to draw the sting out of some of flashier bridle merchants.

In what could turn out to be a tactical affair, SCHEU TIME (best price 7-1) is fancied to plunder another successful raid from these shores in the hands of one of the most promising pilots seen for many years. Best when allowed to dictate matters at his own leisure, James Nash’s inmate might be able to gain a fairly comfortable uncontested lead being the only confirmed front-runner in the line-up, and if that does turn out to be the case, his morning odds will appear quite generous. Although gobbled up when trying to adopt similar tactics at Down Royal last time out, the all-round standard of opposition at the Lisburn venue would have to be considered a good deal deeper from top to bottom that those he faces this afternoon and with decent ground also very much in his favour, a shrewd stop-start ride which will allow him to take breathers around the bends, can bear fruit for the son of Arakan.

On the evidence of what we saw seven days ago, EQUITANT (NAP) (best price 11-4) looks a shrewd purchase for new connections and he’s taken to continue his progression despite being lumbered with top weight. A previous winner over a mile for Richard Fahey in the UK, the son of Equiano needed all of the seven-furlongs to get up in the shadows of the post on his Irish debut here last week, but with the time figures suggesting it was a fair effort by the three-year-old chestnut, confidence is even higher than he can better that performance back over his optimum trip. Ahlan Bil Zain looks the obvious threat based on his unlucky effort here last time, but whether he can run 34 and change for the last three furlongs – which is what Equitant did here the other night – is open to question. 

Rookie trainer Sarah Lynam, daughter of Edward, has already proven she’s a chip off the old block with five winners in a very short space of time and her representative here, SUNTORY TIMES (best price 8-1), has a sporting chance of providing the in-form Co Meath handler with her third straight success of the week. Victorious with Tyrconnell and Sabrina Fairchild two nights ago, it’s interesting that the latter-named of the pair came out of the same maiden that the selection ran in last and given that the Bushranger gelding comes here on handicap debut with a mark 11lb lower than his stable mate despite being two lengths superior, suggests the assessor may have got his sums wrong. Indeed, had the four-year-old not had the coffin outside box to given, which forced him to use up valuable petrol early on, he may have finished a good deal better off and having run really well on his only previous visit to tonight’s track just under a year ago in a decent 1m maiden, the return to the Co Louth venue should turn out to be a productive one if all things go fairly smoothly from his middle draw.