Andy Holding's Friday Racing Tips

REMASTERED (best price 3-1) turned out to be quite a disappointing favourite at Exeter when last seen, but David Pipe’s inmate is surely better than what he showed that day and he’s taken to back up that view in what looks a hot novice contest for starters.

A winner of useful bumper at Chepstow last season, beating Kateson in the process, the son of Network was fancied to make an immediate impact on his first outing over hurdles at Ffos Las back in November and in what turned out to be a well-run affair considering the conditions, he duly obliged. Heavily-backed to follow up at Exeter a month later, the six-year-old chestnut set off with plenty of intent but it soon became apparent as he turned for home, that he was struggling to fend off a whole pose of challengers breathing down his neck. Although he plugged on one-pace to finish a creditable fifth, his apparent lack of speed up against the likes of Getaway Trump and Tedham were there for all to see, so it comes as little surprise to see connections step him up in trip here this afternoon.

Having been well-suited by two stiff galloping left-handed tracks in the past, hopefully the switch back to running in an anti-clockwise direction will help him refocus and even allowing for the strength of opposition, it would come as a surprise if he wasn’t hugely competitive. 

Pound-for-pound Harry Fry has probably the best team of bumper horses this season and one of his most promising recruits, GREEN DOLPHIN (NAP) (best price 2-1), is strongly fancied to press home that viewpoint in what looks a quality contest.

Promising but ultimately too green to do himself total justice on his debut at Warwick back in December, the son of Oscar was well-backed to build on that initial outing at the Midland venue when shipping up at Wincanton last time out, and after travelling like a decent horse throughout, he duly delivered the goods when it mattered most. Racing on the shoulders of a fair pace set by Saint De Reve, the five-year-old powered clear in the closing stages to win with any amount in hand and when you break down the numbers and analyse the overall time figure and backend sectionals he posted compared to the rest of the card, it reveals he’s clearly a youngster of some class.

To add his clear-cut prospects, the five-year-old has the services of the soon-to-be-retired Noel Fehily on board, who’s arguably one of the finest exponents in the saddle when it comes to riding inexperienced bumpers horses and the combination should turn out to be a deadly combination even though they face some equally promising opponents.

MULZAMM (best price 10-3) and Crossingoz are closely matched based on their previous encounter a month ago, but slight preference is for the former as he appears to have improved significantly in the interim. 

Beaten on merit by his old rival that evening, Denis Hogan’s inmate has run consistently well since and his victory two starts ago over tonight’s C&D came with a certain element of swagger. Always travelling well off the back of decent fractions, the son of Cape Cross disposed of his field with the minimum of fuss and that performance led to connections roll the dice two days later.

Unfortunately, the seven-year-old found the drop back down to 6f too sharp for his liking, but all the same, he still ran well enough to be a huge consideration back over his optimum distance and he rates the value call at the morning odds in a race where only a few make any sort of appeal.