Andy Holding's Friday Racing Tips

Daaheyeh sets a very high standard and will clearly take plenty of stopping if she runs to the same level that allowed to finish a creditable runner-up in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh last time out, but at same time, FESTIVAL DAY (NAP) (best price 5-1) has already proven she’s no slouch based on her time figures and she rates the value each-way alternative at the prices.

Well-touted and backed accordingly before making her debut at Goodwood, Mark Johnston’s filly had to be marked down as an unlucky loser at the Sussex track as she failed to get a clear run until very late on in the piece. Heavily-supported to back up the impression she created on her opening gambit, the daughter of Dubawi duly obliged with the minimum of fuss at Chepstow two weeks later and while it may have seemed a fairly routine performance in game management, the numbers she knocked out that day suggest otherwise. Bouncing out to make all the running at the Welsh track, Festival Day soon got into a lovely rhythm and then from halfway she really dipped her shoulder and lent into the bridle as she kicked in the turbo. Running the last three furlongs in 34.1, her backend sectionals complemented her fantastic overall speed figure – which by some way the best on the card – and on the evidence of that display, it’s no surprise to see connections immediately pitch her into the company more in-keeping with her ability. Moreover, the fact she’s handled two undulating tracks should stand her in good stead for racing down into the dip here this afternoon and if by some chance the favourite doesn’t mange to perform up to her best, this exciting juvenile in her own right has all the right credentials to take advantage.

The best race on the card in terms of competitiveness and in a contest that will probably boil down to how the race is run and track position, DALILEO (best price 10-1) is fancied to make his presence felt.

A useful performer when in the care of Mark Johnston in the UK, the son of Galileo shaped with plenty of promise on his first start for new connections when runner-up to Markham over today’s course back in March. Off the track for 190-days, Johnny Murtagh’s gelding returned to action in a red-hot handicap at the Listowel festival and having looked like the winner two furlongs out, lack of a recent run took its toll on the testing conditions in the closing stages. However, with the time figure of the race good, it’s clear he ran to a very high standard under the circumstances and now returning to a surface that has treated him well in the past, the four-year-old rates an intriguing contender dropping back to a trip that could well suit.