Andy Holding's Saturday Racing Tips

It’s a far cry from winning a small-field affair at Sligo to contesting a 0-90 handicap at the Curragh on Derby Day, but MASTER MATT (best price 16-1) showed the sort of ability to suggest he could easily make the required step forward into the big league and he’s a worth a decent bet to back up that opinion.

Having his first start for Matthew Smith after disappointing on his final outing for previous UK connections, the three-year-old was given time to find his feet at the Cleveragh Road venue 11 days, but once he hit the rising ground and rounding the home bend, he really began to find top gear. Staying on powerfully inside the final furlong, the lightly-raced son of Slade Power readily cut down the front-running Sunset Nova to win going away and with the clock revealing that he’d run to a very high level, just a 3lb rise in the ratings doesn’t go even half the way to justify his superiority and potential going forward. Seemingly well-suited by a flat out six furlongs on a stiff track, Master Matt has the cruising speed to track the pace before being delivered with a telling late blow.

Unsurprisingly, Al Aakif is all the rage in this two-year-old novice event after making a pleasing winning debut at Nottingham, but as the opposition wasn’t that great (fourth beaten in sellers since) and the time figure was poor, William Haggas’ juvenile may have more on his plate than the odds imply.

With that in mind, the safest option is to look towards a solid each-way alternative and providing the dead-eight runners go to post, CLAREYBLUE (best price 9-1) fits the bill to a nicety. Quite well fancied to go well on debut at Newmarket, Martyn Meade’s inmate had the misfortune to bump into two very smart colts in the shape of Visinari and Ottoman Court, and even though he got beaten the thick end of a cricket pitch in third, such was the quality of race, he still recorded a useful speed figure. With two behind him that day, Will To Win (won) and Maysong (second), both going on to add some substance to the theory we are dealing with top-class two-year-old form, the son of Zebedee will surely find today’s opponents a good deal more palatable and given that he looked as though he would be all the better for the experience first time out, expected improvement should see him on the premises second time up.

SIR MAXIMILIAN (best price 16-1) is getting a little long in the tooth, but he’s still appears to have plenty of appetite for the game – as his win at Doncaster two starts ago suggests – and following a desperately unlucky run in the Wokingham at Ascot last weekend, Ian Williams’ veteran is taken to roll back the years and outrun his odds. Despite being a winner on Town Moor a month ago, the son of Royal Applause still went into the big six-furlong handicap at the Berkshire venue as a 50-1 outsider and although his finishing position suggested he’d run according to his price, the facts are nowhere near the truth. Held up going well towards the un-favoured stands side group, the 10-year-old got held up in his run at several crucial stages, but once out in the clear, he came home to such a degree that it’s easy to draw to the conclusion he would have finished in the money with a clear run. Based on the time figure of the race in question (similar numbers to the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee), the form of the Wokingham this year should work out well and he’s fancied to be one of the first refugees out of the contest to carry the torch forward in a positive direction. Soldier’s Minute looks the other obvious candidate out of the same race having shown better form over today’s course previously.

The late withdrawal of last year’s winner Withhold, leaves STRATUM (best price 13-2) as owner Tony Bloom’s only representative in this sought-after prize, but Willie Mullins’ gelding has such strong credentials that his famous blue colours have every chance of being carried to victory for the second season succession.

A well-documented unlucky loser in last season’s Ascot Stakes at the Royal meeting, the six-year-old duly made amends in a hot handicap at Newbury a month later, and that set him up nicely for a tilt at the Ebor where he was sent off a warm 3-1 favourite. Unfortunately, everything that could go wrong did go wrong on the Knavesmire and he had to live to fight another day, but he never really recovered in the manner expected and ultimately his season rather tailed off.

Back with a bang when a solid fourth in a ultra-competitive 2m4f handicap hurdle at the Punchestown Festival in April, the son of Dansili expectedly went on to make light work of three opponents in a conditions event at Ballinrobe last time out and with that run likely to have put the necessary edge to his preparations here this afternoon, a big run is anticipated from this classy performer now he seems to be back to something like his best.

GALLIC (best price 11-2) has been pitched in against some smart colts so far this season, but now back amongst her own sex she should be capable of going close in a race where the front of market looks decidedly dodgy (Ummalnar in particular).

A winner of her final start at two, Ed Walker’s filly ran a fine race on her seasonal debut over on the Rowley Mile back in April when she finished a close-up third behind two subsequent winners Aweedram and Archaeology and although she couldn’t better that finishing position at Doncaster last time out, she still came out of the race with her reputation intact. Both the front two that day, Artistic Rifles and Brian Epstein have won valuable pots since and with the speed figure pointing towards it being a fair effort by the daughter of Kodiac, she should be capable of giving her older counterparts plenty to think about despite her morning odds suggesting otherwise.

DAVIDS CHARM (NAP) (best price 13-2) is better known for his exploits over hurdles, but as he showed last time out at Cork he’s not entirely devoid of pace when it’s required and racing over the kind of trip and track that should really suit this strong stayer down to the ground, he’s fancied to make his presence felt. Fifth in a the big 2m4f handicap hurdle on the final day of the Punchestown Festival back in early May, John Walsh’s gelding was given another chance to exploit what looked a fairly lenient mark on his return to the Flat and although he proved to be ineffective over the inadequate trip of 1m4f, he stayed on well enough at the death to suggest he would be a more potent force when given a stiffer test. Runner-up in last year’s Irish Cesarewitch over 2m off today’s mark of 83, the eight-year-old doesn’t have anywhere near the level of opposition to contend with here this afternoon, so it would come as something as a surprise, therefore, if he doesn’t have a huge say in the final outcome.