Andy Holding's Saturday Racing Tips

CRAFTY MADAM (NAP) (best price 10-3) ran out a game winner of an ultra-competitive fillies’ handicap over today’s course on Irish Derby weekend last time out and with the step up in trip threatening to bring about even further improvement, Ken Condon’s mare is strongly-fancied to repeat the dose.

A big eye-catcher on her first start for new connections over a mile at Leopardstown a month ago, the daughter of Mastercraftsman was dropped back a furlong in her bid to go one place better at the Curragh three weeks later, and although she only just got up in the final bounds to get the better of Surrounding, she probably would have scored with a bit more in hand had she obtained a clearer run at an earlier stage. With five lengths back to the rest and the runner-up going on to land a listed prize next time out, the form looks extremely solid and with today’s competition arguably not as strong as it was 22 days ago, it would come as something as a disappointment if she wasn’t to keep her profile on an upward curve.

The Tin Man has been a grand servant over the years and looks to have an obvious chance of justifying favouritism on the pick of his best form, but he might have his work cut out coping with SNAZZY JAZZY (best price 9-2) and DONJUAN TRIUMPHANT (best price 7-1), who both really appreciate plenty of give underfoot.

The former simply has to have it soft and connections go pretty much searching for such conditions for the four-year-old. A creditable fourth behind Safe Voyage over seven-furlongs at Haydock on his seasonal reappearance, Clive Cox’s colt went on to record his sixth career win in the Cathedral Stakes at Salisbury last time out when dead-heating with the progressive Archer’s Dream in a wild finish. A Group 3 winner at Maison-Laffitte under testing conditions last season, the rain that fell here yesterday was obviously welcome news for the son of Red Jazz and from his favourable draw right down the tip of the arrow, he looks sure to put up a bold show.

The latter had The Tin Man behind him when third in last season’s Group 1 Champions Sprint at Ascot and on that form alone there’s no way he should be a 7-1 chance. Back to his best when just run out of the argument by the useful Brando at Hamilton last time out, today’s flat-track, six furlongs with ease underfoot should prove ideal and he, too, is expected to run a huge race.

Wells De Lune is a perfect 5-5 at today’s venue so clearly has to be respected but racing over 2m6f carrying 12st 3lb won’t be an easy task and with that in mind, MEGA DOUBLE (best price 8-1) rates a better proposition in receipt of 2st.

Slightly disappointing when only fifth in a maiden hurdle over today’s course three starts ago (may have needed the run after a break), Jimmy Moffatt’s mare ran a good deal better on her return visit a month later and although she got beaten nine lengths by the all-the-way winner, See The Sea, her numbers still suggested she’d run to affair standard. Indeed, not only was her overall time quicker than Wells De Lune over the same C&D, her final circuit time of 2.17.1 was a full 1.3 seconds better than Peter Bowen’s inmate, so based on those findings, there’s simply no way she should be double the price of the market leader under today’s terms. Improving off the back of that performance when scoring with a ton in hand at Perth last time out, the daughter of Westerner gave out strong signals that she’s got even more potential over distances beyond 2m4f and with the booking of Bryony Frost seen as a real positive intent by connections to get one of the best jockeys around who’s able to do the weight of 10st 4lb, the combination should turn out to be a massive threat to all at the foot of the handicap.

As you’d expected for the money on offer, a cracking field assembled for one of Ireland’s premier sprint handicaps and ICE COLD IN ALEX (best price 8-1) rates an interesting contender over a trip that should play into his strengths. Often slowly away, Ken Condon’s gelding once again found himself with plenty of his plate at halfway here last time out, but in finishing strongest of all down the outside of the field, he almost pulled off an unlikely victory. Successful on his previous visit to the Co Kildare venue this time last year, the son of Olden Times clearly has an affinity with today’s stiff uphill finish and with a big-field, strongly-run six-and-a-half furlong contest likely to prove ideal, a position towards the stands side rail where all the pace is congregated should allow his strong finish to come into effect late on.

Karl Burke has yet to have much luck in this valuable prize, but that could easily change as he sends the potentially smart NEVER IN PARIS (best price 11-2) down south to try and plunder some of the big cash at the Berkshire venue. Up against a filly with plenty of experience in the shape of Exclusively on debut at Nottingham two weeks ago, the daughter of No Nay Never showed a good deal of quality to lower the colours of a filly that had run with credit in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot previously and considering she exhibited signs of greenness in achieving that feat, it’s not difficult to believe she will improve significantly for the run. Strong in the latter stages at the Midland venue, her overall speed figure and back end sectionals complemented each other rather nicely and even though she will probably do better in time over further, she clearly isn’t devoid of pace either. Although short-priced favourite Ventura Rebel has to be respected thanks to his solid effort when runner-up in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot, the numbers suggest there isn’t as much between the pair as the market suggests and with that in mind, a decent each-way bet is recommended on Never In Paris to cause a bit of an upset.

Housed in the same yard as Ventura Rebel, MIGHTY SPIRIT (best price 9-1) might be seen as just a plain prize money seeker in some quarters but that could be an unwise viewpoint to take, especially if you consider her Queen Mary sixth-place finish to be one of the best singular pieces of form coming into this contest. Drawn on the wrong side at the Berkshire venue, the daughter of Acclamation only just finished on the coat tails of the high-class Liberty Beach, and even though she got beaten when a short-priced favourite at Beverley last time out, time may tell that she bumped into a smart filly at the Yorkshire track.

SHE GOT FAST (best price 15-2) failed to cut much ice against several mares who were flying around at a rapid rate of knots here last time out, but at the same time, she ran a good deal better than the bare figures suggest and, as a result, she well worth a small interest to see whether she can make more of an impact on her first attempt in handicap company off what appears a fairly attractive mark.

Having her third run for a rating over the C&D 20 days ago, Jimmy Moffatt’s filly set off towards the rear of the field in a race run at a true gallop and although she could never land a meaningful blow at those who were simply in a different league, she did keep on quite well from the back of the pack to finish a creditable fifth. Even in getting beat 40 lengths, she still posted some useful figures for the grade and with the assessor only allotting her a mark of 86, he looks to have given her some sort of chance of being a good deal more competitive at this level.