Andy Holding's Friday Racing Tips

Nigel Tinkler probably has to pinch himself when he gets out of bed each day to believe the run of results his horses have achieved of late and one of those winners, TENAX (best price 7-2), is strongly fancied to score over the C&D for the second time in a row and keep up the good work for the Langton handler.

Running to a consistent level in all five starts previously this season, the son of Slade Power arrived here 14 days ago with an obvious chance to break his duck this campaign and in what turned out to be a well-run affair, he did so in taking fashion. Noted travelling well in behind the speed, the three-year-old was delivered with a well-timed challenge at the two pole and despite idling once he hit the front, he had plenty left in hand to repel the late rally of Pendleton. Unsurprisingly, the weights and measures brigade will be taking the runner-up to reverse the form, and it’s not inconceivable that he could, but such was Tenax’s dominance that day, it could be an unwise stance to take, and certainly at the morning odds, he rates very much the value bet of the race with likely rain set to inconvenience him less.

KIEFER (NAP) (best price 13-8) is a really likeable type and he’s fancied to continue his progression before taking on stiffer assignments towards the backend of the season. Runner-up to the very smart Eagles By Day at Salisbury back in April, Eve Johnson Houghton’s charge went on to claim a well-deserved success over today’s course on his next start, and with his main market rival today, Prejudice, well held back in fourth, he holds a significant advantage over his chief threat. Just touched off by Desert Icon in a wild finish at Salisbury last time out, he certainly lost nothing in defeat, and with the time figure of the race indicating that the front two had run to a fair standard, a small rise in the ratings shouldn’t be enough to prevent him from regaining the winning thread.

KENTUCKYCONNECTION (best price 8-1) has yet to prove that he stays beyond seven furlongs, but he certainly shapes like he will and for that reason he’s taken to figure prominently in a race he should go well in based on his recent form lines.

A winner on the all-weather at Newcastle over six furlongs four starts ago, Bryan Smart’s gelding has subsequently shaped better than the bare results have suggested on his next three outings, most notable on his latest display at Thirsk. Towards the rear turning for home on a day when covering the pace was key, the six-year-old came home well down the outside to finish a never-nearer sixth behind the impressive winner, Inner Circle, and with the time figure and subsequent performances of those involved in the finish all suggesting it was a fair heat for the grade, he certainly deserves more respect in the market than his morning odds afford him.

As you’d expect for the money on offer, a competitive field assembled for this sought-after prize and having run well when runner-up in this race last season, FULL CRY (best price 9-1) looks primed to go well again. Badly hampered by two fallers at the first twelve months ago, Henry De Bromhead’s inmate never really recovered from that incident, but to his ultimate credit, he never gave up the unequal struggle and to finish where he did was probably about the best he could have hoped for at halfway. More prominently ridden on his return visit two months later, the nine-year-old made no mistake in beating a similarly competitive field and having warmed up for another tilt at this pot with a solid effort at Roscommon recently, all systems are go for a big show. Moreover, not only does he represent a stable who has a habit of winning races of this nature, he also has the services of one of the best up-and-coming conditionals in the Irish weighing room, Hugh Morgan, on board, and at the respective morning prices (most firms going four places), he simply looks too good to resist.

Of his main dangers, there’s no denying Rathnure Rebel has the potential to prove a very well-handicapped horse based on his sound display behind subsequent Irish National winner, Burrows Saint at Gowran. Runner-up on his final outing over fences last season at Cork, Noel Meade’s former Grade 3 novice hurdle winner has certainly been given a chance off a mark of 127, it’s just a case of whether his inexperience for a race of this nature catches him out.