Six tips today from Andy Holding to finish off an amazing August!
14:10 Chester
OH THIS IS US (NAP) (best price 2-1) never had the opportunity to show his true worth at Goodwood last week, but returning to the scene of some of his better performances in recent times, Richard Hannon’s gelding looks poised to repeat last year’s success.
The six-year-old clearly thrives on his racing because this will be thirteenth race since February, but on the evidence of what we saw of him last weekend, he still appears to be holding together a good level of form. Held up going well at the Sussex venue, the son of Acclamation got the door slammed in his face all the way down the straight and in the end he had to sit and take his medicine when most of the field had upped sticks and gone. A good second to Beauty Filly here a month ago plus a previous victory on the Roodeye indicates he loves the tight turns, and with a strong pace guaranteed with the likes of Lake Volta and Arcanada in the line-up, everything should set up perfectly for his stalk and pounce run-style.
14:25 Sandown
MIGRATION (best price 7-2) has already proven that today’s stiff track very much suits his style of racing and hailing from a yard that has their team in fine shape at present, he’s fancied to keep his upwardly mobile profile going in the right direction.
Unlucky when a fast-finishing second on his first visit to the Esher slopes back in April, David Menusier’s colt arrived here 23 days ago a much more switched on individual thanks to several smart performances in big premier handicaps and he put all that knowledge to good use with arguably a career-high effort. Held up out the back in typically patient fashion, the son of Alhebayeb produced a smart turn of foot to run over the top of his opponents in a short space of time and with conditions set to be almost identical on his return visit, a repeat performance is very much on the cards.
15:00 Sandown
Jubiloso was always likely to capture the headlines here after her well-documented troubles at Goodwood last time out and while she does seemingly have quite a bit in hand (also third in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes), DUNEFLOWER (best price 3-1) is good enough to make sure the favourite is kept honest at the very least.
Brought along in typically prudent fashion by a handler known for his patience and skill with fillies, John Gosden’s inmate was pitched into listed class for the first time following an easy success in handicap company at Doncaster and she didn’t disappoint with a performance of some merit. Held up off the very strong tempo set by stable mate Jadeerah, the daughter of Dubawi was produced with a long, withering run down the outside in the home straight and it was a charge that carried her over the top of the field and enabled her to score with plenty in hand. Looking at the numbers she clocked in the post-race analysis, her overall time and sectionals suggest it was a display of a high-class filly and with today’s long, uphill straight set to suit her run-style, Duneflower rates the value call at three times the price of her main market rival.
15:50 Beverley
FOUR WHEEL DRIVE (best price 12-1) may have completed a quick hat trick had he received a better rub of the green at Carlisle last time out and it would come as little surprise if he were to wing his way back into the number one spot again at a track where he’s gone well twice before.
A cosy winner at Ripon three starts ago, David Brown’s gelding was just as impressive over today’s C&D a week later and this time he had to make all of his own running to get the job done. Reverting to his previous hold-up tactics at the Cumbrian venue 10 days ago, the in-form three-year-old just got caught on heels at a crucial part of the race that he could never recover from, but he stayed on well enough to suggest all is still well in his world and he looks a tidy price for the greedy each-way thieves.17:15 Wolverhampton
STATE OF AFFAIR (best price 11-4) has competed at a fairly high level of late and with today’s slightly less taxing contest providing a little bit of respite, Ed Walker’s gelding will hopefully take advantage. Seen to good effect coming off a strong pace when accounting for subsequent dual winner Starczewski at Haydock, the three-year-old chestnut then got hooked up in an unnecessary joust for the lead down the back straight at Sandown last time out and it came as no shock, therefore, to see him weaken at the business end. Although he does want a proper test, a better distribution of his energy over today’s 1m4f wouldn’t go amiss, and despite the presence of several other three-year-olds throwing their cap into the ring, he rates a confident choice to see them all off.
17:25 Newton Abbot
Quite a few course regulars lock horns again in this competitive low-grade handicap to conclude the card and one of them, ROCKET RONNIE (best price 16-1) seems to have escaped the attentions of the bookmakers and should be pounced upon accordingly.
In cracking form this time last year, it’s noticeable that two of his best performances came over today’s course and the latter of those efforts resulted in a game victory under rider Richard Patrick. Indeed, when the pair have teamed up together, the form figures for the son of Antonius Pius read 451225 and with his latest display off the back of a 181-day break quite a promising one in a similar class race at Worcester, he appears to have more going for him than his morning odds suggest (some firms offering four places).
