Andy Holding's Thursday Racing Tips

Starczwenski did really well to almost overcome a tardy start at Chepstow last time out and certainly commands respect, but he faces another tough challenge up against improving filly HALLALULU (best price 7-2) and William Haggas’ inmate is fancied to come out on top.

A dual winner for Ed Dunlop as a two-year-old, the daughter of Kyllachy has yet to score for new connections but on each start she’s intimated it can only be a matter of time before she gets back on track. A promising third to the older horse Ashazuri at Sandown on her seasonal reappearance, the three-year-old filly was well-backed to get the job done on her latest outing at Lingfield and although she came up a little short, the numbers she posted in defeat suggest she’s still one to keep on side. Clearly up against a potentially smart filly in the shape of Specialise, Hallalulu, in turn, pulled nicely away from another unexposed type, Moll Davis, and with today’s trip threatening to bring about even more improvement, she should give her male counterparts plenty to think about.

AMALFI DOUG (NAP) (best price 10-3) scored with some authority over today’s C&D and he’s strongly fancied to repeat the dose while seemingly in excellent heart. A winner of point-to-point previously, Keith Dalgleish’s gelding was somewhat of an unknown quantity when arrived at Scoon Palace 12 days ago, but his demolition job of a competitive field left an everlasting impression on the day’s proceedings. Always travelling ell in the hands of Brian Hughes, the son of Network picked up the running on the approach to three out when the front-running Reiver’s Lad’s legs buckle and from that point onwards he strolled to an easy 10 length victory. Obviously, he was always going to come under attack from the assessor after a win of that nature, but given that it’s almost impossible to put a figure on how much he had in hand, a chance is taken its nowhere near enough to prevent him following up on his return visit.

The race won by Party Playboy (runner-up on the Flat last night) at Down Royal a few weeks ago was a very good one for the grade, so even though MOTHER’S BEST (best price 16-1) got beat upwards of 20 lengths, she still comes out well on the figures and is worth a small interest to go well now back against opposition way below that sort of standard.

Previously fourth in a point-to-point, the daughter of Marienbard wasn’t expected to cut much ice on her return to rules based on her 20-1 starting price, but she did keep on well enough from the rear of the field to suggest she can be found a small race off her current handicap mark. A creditable fourth behind the useful Willie Mullins-trained mare, Calie Du Mesnil on her only previous visit to today’s track, the locally trained eight-year-old mare should be good enough to outrun her morning odds.

QUARRY BEACH (best price 14-1) hasn’t run for 250 days so clearly comes with risks attached, but there’s definite reasons for optimism and she’s worth a punt at her morning odds. A big eye-catcher in a good Kempton maiden on debut, Henry Candy’s filly didn’t quite go forward in the way anticipated at Goodwood next time out, although she did only get beaten four lengths in a race which worked out well subsequently. Third on her next start back on the all-weather, it’s her final run of the campaign at Doncaster which suggests she could be quite well treated if she’s fit enough to do herself justice after her enforced layoff. Although no match for the likes of Happy Power and Beat Le Bon on soft ground on Town Moor, the first two home that day are now rated 112 and 101 respectively and with two in behind that day, Herioc (75) and Lincoln Park (89) also both going on to score this season off much higher marks, her current rating of just 70 is surely there to be exploited at some stage this season.