Andy Holding's Friday Racing Tips

PLATINUM STAR (best price 15-8) easily brings the best form to the table and with connections finally coming to the correct conclusion that he’s a sprinter through-and-through, he’s fancied to justify his position in the market.

Just touched off by Southern Hills in the Windsor Castle over five-furlongs at Royal Ascot, the son of Lope De Vega suffered the same fate when a short-headed by Royal Lytham in the July Stakes at Newmarket next time out. No match for the mighty Pinatubo when not staying the seven-furlong trip at Goodwood, Saeed Bin Suroor’s colt got right back on track with arguably his best performance at Ripon last time out and with the time figure of the race also backing up that view, he clearly is a two-year-old with plenty of natural speed. Given the level of competition he’s been facing, today’s opposition should be well within his capabilities and with soft ground also in his favour, he’s taken to keep the tremendous run of his stable going in the right direction.

FINAL SONG (best price 2-1) proved no match for Raffle Prize in the Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes when last seen, but considering she was up against a filly who broke the track record and, who had the advantage of racing up the favoured stands’ side rail, she did as well as could be expected and she rates a confident vote to sign of the season in style.

Hugely impressive on debut at Ascot, the daughter of Dark Angel was understandably well fancied to back up that performance in the Queen Mary over the same C&D and although she couldn’t quite manage to justify favouritism, finishing a creditable and close-up third could hardly be described as a failure. On the two times she’s encountered soft ground she’s run to a very high standard and with today’s extra furlong also threatening to bring about further improvement, she could well be another notable success for her red-hot yard.

Neither TRUESHAN (best price 15-2) or NATTY NIGHT (best price 25-1) have been done any favours by the draw here, but both fall into the category of being extreme stayers likely to be well suited by the demands of this contest – even more so if the weathermen are right - so without going overboard, they are worth a few quid each-way in their bids to overcome the slight impost.

The former ran a super race at Haydock last time out against similar types to what he faces today and a repeat of that form alone would give him a fighting chance of being on the scene again. In a race run at a fairly leisurely gallop at the Merseyside venue, Alan King’s inmate fared best of those who charted a course towards the nearside rail, so he did well to finish as close up as he did under the circumstances. Prior to that sound effort, he was seen to really good effect when trouncing subsequent winner, Caravan Of Hope, in a fast time and with today’s gallop likely to be more to his liking, the son of Planteur can really come into his own.

The latter was unquestionably flattered to finish as close up to subsequent St Leger winner Logician (eased down) at Newbury back in July than the official margin suggests, but either way, he still shapes like a horse who can do some damage in a race of this nature off a mark of just 79. Although he failed in his bid to go one place better at Newcastle last time out, he set a strong gallop before the lack of a recent run (off the track for 75 days) took its toll and providing he’s not ridden as if the taxman is after him in the first part of today’s journey, this long-striding and game three-year-old could easily cause an upset on ground that will suit.

JUMELLEA (NAP) (best price 2-1) ran out an extremely decisive winner of a competitive handicap at Navan just two days ago and with connections quite right to strike while the iron is hot, Joseph O’Brien’s filly looks set to reward their bold stance.

Unable to see out the 1m6f trip on soft ground in a strongly-run handicap at the Listowel Festival, two starts ago, it seemed a brave move to drop her back down a full six furlongs at the Co Meath venue, but despite being some way behind at the halfway stage, she charged through the entire field in a relatively short space of time to score by a wide margin. Knocking the ball out of the park in both the overall time and backend sectionals (best on the card in each category), the daughter of Zoffany clearly ran way beyond anything she’d previously achieved and while it’s common nature to pick holes in a victory of that magnitude, at the same time, the numbers don’t lie. Having scored over tonight’s trip at Limerick earlier in the season, the worry concerning her repeating the dose over further are slightly eased, so it’ll all boil down to whether she can run to the same level on her first time on the polytrack surface.

Tissue favourite, Eminence, was shade disappointing when punted off the boards on all-weather debut two weeks ago and, as a result, he makes zero appeal at the morning prices, whereas EDIFICATION (best price 15-2) has a good deal more going in his direction and rates a more viable proposition.

An eye-catching fourth in one of the hottest 1m4f handicaps run so far this season in Ireland at Leopardstown previously, the son of Dream head once again ran right up to his best form in a similarly competitive heat here last week and although he came up just short in the final analysis, time may tell that he faced an impossible task giving the winner, Girolamo, the thick end of a 10 length head start. Staying on best of all from the home turn, mark Fahey’s inmate picked off the entire field all bar one, and with his overall figure and final circuit sectionals working out best of the 13 runners, he rates a confident choice to carry that level of form forward despite this week’s contest being run over a slightly shorter trip.