Andy Holding's Thursday Racing Tips

Both Peaceful and ST CLERANS (best price 9-2) shaped with plenty of promise in the same maiden at Leopardstown 56 days ago, but there’s little doubt the value lies with the latter based on the theory she possesses just as much potential in her midst as the short-priced favourite.

As we know, Jessica Harrington has an abundance of riches in the two-year-old filly category this season and while it would be crazy to suggest this one had anywhere near the ability of some of her more illustrious stable mates, she could still develop into a useful type in her own right. Not knocked about in anyway at the Dublin-based venue – very similar to her old rival, Peaceful – the daughter of Golden Horn impressed with the way she finished off her race late on and granted just normal improvement, a huge leap forward should be forthcoming.

IN FROM THE COLD (best price 7-2) finished a creditable fourth in an ultra-competitive nursery at Naas last time out and a similar performance here this afternoon should see him shake up some of the principal players from more powerful stables.

A winner at Sligo over the extended five-furlong trip back in August, Michael Mulvany’s gelding has run well in four starts subsequently and his latest effort at the Co Kildare venue suggests he’s not ready to pack his bags off for the winter just yet. Held up out the back in a 20-stong field 22 days ago, the son of Alhebayeb found himself with plenty to do as the field turned for home and from that point onward matters only got worse. Meeting all the trouble imaginable inside the final two furlongs, he didn’t get the chance to hit top gear until very late, but judged by the way he went through the line, there’s little doubt he would have had a huge say in the final outcome with anything like a clear run. Clearly well suited by a mile despite his victory over much shorter earlier in the campaign, In From The Cold rates the chief threat to market leader, Louisiana, who adds a bit of spice to proceedings under top weight.

Cat Tiger may turn out to be well above average, but OLLY THE BRAVE (best price 3-1) has already run to a decent standard so far under rules and he just receives the slight nod at the morning prices. Runner-up to one of today’s rival, Old Jeroboam, at Southwell back in April, Dan Skelton’s gelding duly vindicated the impression he created on debut when scoring with plenty up his sleeve at Warwick a month later. Packed off for his summer break, hopefully the son of Black Sam Bellamy will come back fresh, well and raring to go and with today’s flat, galloping track likely to suit, he should easily be capable of taking high rank on hurdles debut.

SMOKEY BEAR (NAP) (best price 6-4) posted an impressive set of figures when scoring in tidy fashion at Newbury last time out and providing he can translate that sort of ability over to his first attempt on the all-weather, he’s going to take plenty of stopping.

Placed on his first two starts, Roger Charlton’s colt went to the Berkshire venue 20 days ago a well-backed favourite and having travelled well throughout, he duly got off the mark at the third attempt. At first glance, the performance just looked a mandatory one on paper, but when you dig deeper into the nuts and bolts of the numbers he posted, it reads a good deal better. Not only did the son of Kodiac clock the fastest furlong-per-furlong time on the seven-race card, his final four furlong sectionals were better than both the older 112-rated Tabarrak and top juvenile Quadrilateral. Based on these findings, it’s clear this improving two-year-old has got a fair degree of quality and it would therefore come as something of a disappointment if he failed to deliver the goods.

AWA BOMBA (best price 7-1) ran better than his finishing position suggested in a red-hot race on the speed figures here last time out and with tonight’s extra furlong threatening to bring about further improvement in Tony Carroll’s charge, he rates a fair each-way bet at the morning prices.

Third to the hugely progressive Chil Chil at Kempton the time before, the son of Heeraat was well-backed back at the scene of his only previous victory and although he failed to get into the shake-up, he was certainly by no means disgraced. A slow start meant the three-year-old was soon on the back foot, but he did impress by the way he stuck to his task in the home straight and when you consider the main players were knocking out huge fractions at the front end, it put in perspective what he was trying to achieve. Indeed, the first three have all won since and given that he shaped like he required an extra furlong to be more competitive, tonight step up in trip should prove ideal.

BUSBY (best price 5-2) was heavily involved in a hot race on the figure over tonight’s C&D last week and a repeat of that effort should see Conrad Allen’s inmate right in the thick of the action once more.

After dwelling slightly as the gates opened, the son of Kodiac soon raced handy to hold every chance turning for home and although he couldn’t muster the sort of pace the winner, Total Commitment, found late on, he did keep on well to finish a honourable second. Numbers-wise, the race in question was certainly well above average for the grade and with tonight’s contest appearing a slightly easier one on paper, the four-year-old is fancied to score for the third time over the C&D.