Andy Holding's Friday Racing Tips

CANARDIER (best price 9-1) ran an absolute cracker against the track bias in the Coral Cup on his latest outing and a repeat of the level of achievement should see him somewhere on the premises in this similar contest. On a day where the inside of the track wasn’t the place to be, Dermot McLoughlin’s gelding was one of very few who actually ran well having raced on the slowest part of the track, so his overall effort in finishing fifth in what was one of the most competitive races of the entire week has to upgraded. Although better ground would have helped (rails out 52 yards today so won’t be quite as bad for the first race), at least that run last time indicates he’ll cope fine with the easy underfoot conditions and with Barry Geraghty seen as a positive sign of intent by connections, a prominent display looks on the cards.

Connections of TEDHAM (best price 4-1) were worried that the improving five-year-old might not get in, but now he has, he has all the right weapons to go close off a mark of 131. Catching the eye in several useful and well-run novice events earlier in the campaign, Jonjo O’Neill’s gelding went to Wincanton to contest his first handicap off what appeared a fairly lenient perch and as it turned out, the assessor was someway short of the mark. Always travelling well at the West Country venue, the son of Shirocco scored with more in hand than the official margin suggested and having kept his powder dry ever since, he arrives here a fresh horse ready to rock and roll on ground that should suit.

Fitness has to be taken on trust where TECHNICIAN (best price 9-4) is concerned, but providing he’s somewhere near maximum capacity on his reappearance he should be capable of going close based on his hugely encouraging performance on debut last season. Nicely backed in a warm maiden at Nottingham, Martyn Meade’s colt looked very dangerous as the main players approached the final two furlongs, but unfortunately his propensity to run green and shift over to the far rail ended up ruining his chances. The fact that he gave away quite a bit of ground and yet still didn’t get beat too far by two promising colts, however, suggests he’s a pretty smart horse in the making and with the conditions that day on the easier side of good, any rain that falls here this afternoon shouldn’t count against his chance.

CALL IT MAGIC (best price 7-1) took to the fences like a duck to water on his first attempt in the Becher Chase and now dropping back to a trip that should suit his positive style of front running, he looks booked to put up a bold show. Setting off in his usual trail-blazing fashion here back in December, the nine-year-old jumped well and looked to have his field stone cold coming across the Melling Road a mile from home, but from that point onwards his stamina just began to ebb away and by the time he’d landed on the long run-in, he could only plug on at the one pace. A series of violent jumps out to the left cost him any chance he had of repelling the useful Snugsborough Benny at Fairyhouse last time out, but now back racing in an anti-clockwise direction, the son of Indian River is a must for any shortlist, especially as he’s likely to avoid most the probable carnage in behind.

Whether DOITFORTHEVILLAGE (best price 25-1) has the kahooners for a race like this is open to question, but he certainly has the talent and having run an unbelievable race in the Brown Advisory at the Cheltenham Festival, he looks too big a price to go completely unbacked. Not for the first time, Paul Henderson’s gelding has been dealt a pretty poor hand at the Festival and this time it came courtesy of a horse falling right in path at the one in front of the stands, bringing him to a virtual standstill. To his great credit, the son of Turtle Island made up an amazing amount of ground up in the hottest part of the race to be upsides the main players at the third last, but unfortunately from that point onwards, the exertions of putting in such a big effort took its toll. Fading back into the pack on the run-in, his final finishing position doesn’t do justice to his brave effort and having scored tidily in a well-run race on soft ground at Chepstow earlier in the season, hopefully a clear round can see him outrun his odds.

Champ looked as though Cheltenham’s 2m5f was just beyond him in the Ballymore, so there has to be some doubt as to whether a step up in trip is going to play into his strengths, so the safest option is to look towards proven stayer in the conditions, EMITOM (NAP) (best price 4-1).

A victory over the very smart Lisnager Oscar at Ffos Las earlier in the campaign signalled Warren Greatrex had another potentially top-class hurdler in his care and he’s gone on to further enhance his reputation. Carrying a double penalty at Newbury on his latest outing, the son of Gold Well had to survive a bad mistake at a hurdle down the back straight before going on to record a game victory over the highly-regarded Interconnection and with the time figure backing up the visual evidence of the performance, he clearly ran to a career-high level. Given that the strongest part of game that day was in the latter stages, today’s three-mile journey in soft ground should prove ideal and he rates a cast-iron each-way bet with doubts about so many of the leading players. The other important factor to note about his run-style is that he’s raced wide in three of his four wins, which could work out in his favour today given that the inside of the track is likely to be very badly poached come 4.40 this afternoon.

EBONY JEWEL (best price 11-1) looked a relentless galloper when trouncing his field at Ayr last time out and with today’s testing conditions not likely to pose him any problems, Nick Alexander’s gelding is fancied to give a Northern raider a bit of cheer at one these big festivals.

A promising runner-up in a useful bumper at Haydock on his debut, the son of Westerner was given plenty of time to acclimatise to his new surrounds by current connections and that 94-day break paid off in some style with a victory of some authority at the Scottish venue. Setting his stall out from the word go, the five-year-old gradually wound the pace up down the back straight and in maintaining a strong gallop all the way to the line, he clocked a smart speed figure into the bargain. Although he’s made the running on both his two starts to date, with McFabulous and several other pace-setters in the field, hopefully Lucy Alexander will use her brain and not get involved in an unnecessary speed dual up front (or race around the inside) and providing that turns out to be the case, he can go well at a decent price.