Andy Holding's Saturday Racing Tips

GONE PLATINUM (best price 13-2) arrives here in excellent heart having notched up another success at Ffos Las just six days ago and he’s fancied to put up bold display at a track that has served him well in the past.

The way he travelled throughout that 2m4f contest at the Welsh track pointed towards a horse right on top of his game at present and it certainly went some way to making up for his previous encounter there when he would have probably won but for being brought to a complete standstill at the last in the back straight. A smooth winner over today’s C&D back in January in a quick time, a decent gallop over this sort of trip with just a little ease in the ground suits best and with the likes of Air De Rock and Quiz Master likely to ensure there’ll be no hanging around, Dai Rees’ gelding should get the perfect tow into the business end.

Andrew Balding’s team seem to be in a fine shape looking at some of his results in the early throws of the campaign, so there’s more than a fair chance that DUTCH TREAT (best price 28-1) can outrun her crazy-looking morning odds.

Although she only managed to score once in seven starts as a juvenile, some of her best form came in defeat and as two of her most notable efforts were achieved over today’s C&D, that familiarity will hopefully count for something. Just narrowly beaten by the smart Star Terms in a hot maiden back in July, the daughter of Dutch Art made the top-class Boitron pull out all the stops in the listed Denford Stakes on her return visit a month later and a repeat of either of those two displays will surely see her bustle up some of her more fancied rivals.

How MOHAATHER (best price 5-1) went off an unconsidered 33-1 shot prior to landing the Horris Hill Stakes over the C&D last season is still a mystery and he’s fancied to continue to defy his underdog tag in his test to see whether he’s a genuine 2000 Guineas contender (probably not the world’s worst shout at 50-1 for that heat).

A big eye-catcher over today’s course on debut last September, Marcus Tregoning’s colt duly built on that promising initial display when scoring in a fast time on his next start at Nottingham and off the back of that success he deserved more respect than he was afforded on his return visit to the Berkshire venue 17 days later. Despite being poorly drawn and racing away from the main action, the son of Showcasing still had the quality to run down his prey to score readily in the closing stages and with the numbers once again suggesting he’d run to a pretty high level, he only has to be somewhere near peak fitness to have a huge say in today’s contest.

As the ground looked quite hard work here yesterday, a previous run might turn out to be a big advantage in the final analysis, so with that in mind, both EXEC CHEF (best price 15-2) and ANOTHER BATT (best price 20-1) make plenty of appeal having run well at Doncaster’s opening fixture two weeks ago. 
The former was well-backed on his seasonal return and although he came up just short, he left the impression he may have obliged with a clearer run. Having previously gone well over today’s track, as his perfect 2-2 record testifies, Jim Boyle’s gelding is a must for any shortlist on ground that will suit (has won over 1m2f on soft).

The latter is easily the fittest in the field having spent the winter in Dubai and on the evidence of his run when back in these shores in the Lincoln, he appears to be holding his form together well despite the busy campaign. Towards the rear with plenty to do at halfway, George Scott’s gelding did remarkably well to finish as close as he did considering he was forced to challenge wide on the slowest part of the track on Town Moor and with a smoother passage this time around, he has enough ability to go well under top weight (stall 14 in the middle could turn to be quite handy).

The form figures for MAY REMAIN (best price 7-1) and GOPSIES DAUGHTER (best price 10-1) don’t appear too clever at first glance, but both ran a good deal better than their finishing position suggested in a similar race at Navan recently and they have enough back-class to make an impact.
The former was fairly useful back in the day for Paul Cole in the UK and although things haven’t panned out as well as new connections would have liked, there’s has been the odd chink of light at the end of the tunnel. His run at the Co Meath venue 14 days ago certainly suggested the ability is there and based on the notion that he would have finished much closer to Mokhalad with a clearer run, he’s has to be worth a few quid at his morning price.

The latter also suffered quite heavily in that same contest and she has to be considered at a much bigger price. Although Navan is probably her favourite venue, she has run well enough away from her happy hunting ground to suggest she’s not just a one-trick pony and she has a perfectly respectable chance on the pick of her best form.

As if we didn’t already know it, two victories for Dan Skelton here yesterday confirmed that his horses are running out of their skin and in the shape of SOLOMON GREY (NAP) (best price 3-1), the Warwickshire handler could easily bag another notable success. 

Shaping as though badly in need of the run on his opening salvo at Doncaster back in December, the son of Sulamani proved a totally different proposition when upped in trip and fitted with the first time tongue-tie in the Lanzarote Hurdle at Kempton last time out. Travelling as well as anything approaching the second last, the grey seven-year-old just got outrun in the closing stages by the in-form Big Time Dancer, but with the pair well clear and the likes of Lord Napier, Cotswold Way and Theatrebar all winning from the race since, the form has to rate as particularly solid in context for today’s contest. Moreover, let’s also not forget this chap managed to finish close-up to subsequent Grade 1 winner If The Cap Fits on two occasions not that long ago and a repeat of any of those performances would make him hard to beat in arace of this nature.

THAT’S MAD (best price 5-1) shaped with a huge amount of encouragement on his latest outing at Navan and he’s strongly fancied to confirm form with the hitherto disappointing Captainofthebounty over a trip that should firmly play into his strengths.

Noted travelling supremely well at the Co Meath venue 14 days ago, Richard O’Brien’s gelding unfortunately just got tightened up for room at a crucial stage when the tempo was increasing and although he finished off his race with plenty of purpose, he couldn’t quite get back on terms with the Levee Breaks, who obtained first run. However, the time figure he posted in filling out the second spot was still more than respectable, and with today’s extra furlong likely to prove a help rather than a hindrance, the son of Equiano looks way overpriced at 7-1.