Andy Holding's Friday Racing Tips

You couldn’t call BLACK BUBLE (best price 3-1) unlucky at Warwick last time out as he was the creator of his own downfall, but what we can say with a degree of certainty is Tony Carroll’s gelding ran an extraordinary race to finish third after totally blowing the start and he’s afforded another chance to make amends.

Well-backed at the Midland venue, the son of Valanour quickly inflicted a certain amount of pain towards his backers by being totally indolent down at the start and although he finally consented to jump off and join his pals, the distance of ground he gave away was never like to be recouped. It is a testimony to his ability, therefore, that the six-year-old managed to finish within three lengths of the eventual winner after probably given up around 20 lengths, and providing he plays ball this time around and breaks on terms, he has the qualities to make a big impression.

SNOW PATCH (best price 5-2) can hardly be accused of being a prolific winner – but then again, the same could be said of many of her rivals – and following one of her better display over tonight’s C&D last time out, she’s fancied to double his career tally.

A winner off a rating of 72 this time last year, Darren Bunyan’s filly has slipped down to what looks an attractive mark and if it wasn’t for the resurgence in form of the useful Danz Gift 23 days ago, there’s no doubt she would have run out a comfortable winner of a similar race to the one she faces this evening. The way she often travels in her races lends itself to a strong pace suiting, and with the likes of An Saoirse, Smart Singer and Mercury in the line-up, the daughter of Epaulette should have the perfect platform to enable her to strike late on.

A tricky puzzle to solve in the respect that quite a few of these are unproven or yet to encounter the two-mile trip, but having watched SHADOW SEVEN (NAP) (best price 15-8) perform several times over tonight’s course, he shapes like he will be suited by a stamina test and, as a result, he gains the vote.

Since fitted with the tongue-tie/blinker combination, Joseph O’Brien’s gelding has shown improved form and his two back-to-back victories in November pointed towards a stayer thriving on his workload. A well-backed favourite on his most recent outing, his bid for the hat trick was derailed courtesy of an unsatisfactory pace, and to make matter worse, he got checked in his run when the tempo began to increase two out just at the point when he was getting up a head of steam.

He did, however, finish off his race well once out in the clear to suggest he would have gone close but for the interference and being one the few in the field who’s shown a decent turn of foot at the backend of his races, the son of Mastercraftsman rates a fairly confident choice to justify his position in the market.