Andy Holding's Friday Racing Tips

CRACKING NAME (best price 11-2) ran out a very impressive winner at Tipperary last time out and under similar conditions, David Marnane’s mare is strongly fancied to follow up. Although the daughter of Famous Name can be a little bit of an OXO horse, she can also be pretty devastating at this sort of level on her day, and that was most certainly the case 33 days ago. Always travelling strongly at the Limerick Junction venue, she picked up the running going well turning for home and from that point onwards, the rest were soon playing for the places. Unlucky at this venue last year when not getting the rub of the green over a trip short of her best (squeezed out and shuffled back through the pack after a furlong), the five-year-old returns to the scene of that effort in much better shape and with more in her favour this time around, so there’s every reason to feel positive about her chance.

Zarafshan has been disappointing since finishing runner-up to Sir Dragonet at Tipperary so unless the blinkers work the oracle, he looks one to avoid at a relatively short price and he’s passed over in favour of L’EMPATHIE (best price 10-1). Not that particularly well fancied on debut, hence the 25-1 price tag, Joseph Murphy’s shaped with a good deal more promise than her market expectation suggested by running on nicely in the closing stages of a keenly-contested affair at Killarney back in July. Not knocked about at any stage, the daughter of Champs Elysees went through the line quite strongly and with the time figure also indicating it wasn’t a bad effort for her first attempt, just normal improvement can see her take higher rank providing she handles the slower ground.

SEVERUS ALEXANDER (NAP) (best price 5-1) has yet to score in seven outings, but it surely can only be a matter of time before he breaks that unwanted tag and under similar conditions that have seen him finish runner-up on his last two starts, Joseph O’Brien’s gelding looks booked to go close again.

Upped in trip for the first time and fitted with the cheekpiece/tongue-tie combination, the son of Zoffany posted his best ever offering at Killarney two starts ago and he went on to prove that run was no fluke by filling out the same position in a stronger contest at Down Royal last time. In what turned out to be a proper test for the conditions, the three-year-old kept on willingly all the way to the line and off a mark of just 60, taking into a count his rider’s 7lb claim, it would be a major disappointment if he wasn’t bang on the premises once again.

Raaeb looks a likely type on pedigree and has been well found in the market, but he will have to be well above average to contain MAORI KNIGHT (best price 2-1) if he shows the anticipated improvement following his eye-catching effort on debut at Newbury. Slowly away and green early doors at the Berkshire track, Richard Hughes’ colt took a while to come to terms with what was required on his first day at school, but by the time he got down to the nitty gritty at the business end, he really began to learn his trade. Finishing his race of best of all of those racing towards the rear, the son of Camelot gave out positive signals for the future and looking the type who would be suited by some nicer ground, he should prove his Royal Lodge and Derby entries aren’t pie in the sky.

It’s always good to see connections have a plan, and that seems to be the case where both SILVER PLANEUR (best price 5-1) and THEATRE WORLD (best price 14-1) are concerned. Second and fourth respectively in this corresponding race last year, the pair arrive here having run extremely well after similarly long layoffs, so they should both be primed to roll the dice again. The former, in particular goes well at this venue and although her victory in this race two years ago couldn’t bettered twelve months on, Eric McNamara’s mare still ran with great credit. Third to the improving Sizing Malbay over an inadequate trip at Ballinrobe last time out, today’s stiffer test will play more into her strengths. The latter, too, hadn’t run for just under a year on first start for Ross O’Sullivan at Sligo recently and she also will be well suited by the prevailing conditions.