Andy Holding's Thursday Racing Tips

EL GHAZWANI (best price 7-4) didn’t quite get home in the face of a very strongly-run 1m3f at Kempton last time out, but he has a much better record over today’s C&D, so a return to his happy hunting ground can hopefully reap maximum rewards.

Having travelled nicely in behind the speed at the Surrey venue, Hugo Palmer’s gelding hit the front just over a furlong out, but no sooner had he looked like he might go on and win, he faded back into fifth close to the beam. That said, the form of that London Middle Distance qualifier couldn’t have worked out any better – which the time figure suggested it might – and, with today’s shorter straight much more suitable to his run style, the son of Cape Cross has a decent chance of upholding his perfect 3-3 stats over the 1m2f trip.

Naizagai quite rightly deserves maximum respect following two promising performances so far to date, but GREY FOX (best price 5-1 w/o Naizagai) showed just as much encouragement on his debut at Newbury and he makes fair more appeal at the morning prices – particularly in the without the favourite markets.

Despite Emma Lavelle not renown for producing first-time-out juvenile winners, it was significant that this son of Gutaifan was only a 16-1 poke for his opening gambit in a hot novice contest the Berkshire venue and as it turned out, he thoroughly justified his position in the market. Left behind slightly as the field quickened appreciably past the halfway point, the grey colt did, however, finish off his race in really pleasing fashion, leaving the impression that there are certainly better times ahead. Sure to be suited by today’s extra trip and surface rather than the gluepot he encountered 34 days ago, he’s fancied to keep the good run of his stable going in the right direction under both codes.

IVADREAM (best price 4-1) finally sprung to life at Kempton last time out after three rather inauspicious efforts towards the backend of the season on turf and, on the evidence of what we saw in the latter stages of that similar contest at the Surrey track, he should go very close to getting off the mark.

Dropped out the back by design due to his coffin box draw out in the wing, Roger Charlton’s charge found himself in last place at the field turned for home, but he picked up really well in the closing stages to finish a never-nearer third and that has to go down as a fair return given how much ground he had to make up. Clearly, the son of Ivawood has started off handicaps off a fair mark if that performance is anything to go by, so providing he can work himself in to a better early position this time around, there’s every reason to be hopefully of a positive display.

There’s no doubt that most of MERHOOB’s (best price 10-1) better performances have come over six furlongs, but he has won over seven and on the evidence of his latest run over tonight’s course, he looks to be running himself into the sort of form that makes him an interesting contender at the very least.

Having run better the time before over an inadequate trip at Nottingham, John Ryan’s inmate could be fancied to run better than his odds suggested when returning to his favoured all-weather terrain here last time out and if it wasn’t for a desperately unlucky passage up the inside of the track when about to make his challenge, he may well have gone close. Typically, the son of Cape Cross usually comes good at this time of year, and having run in loads of much better races than this one in the past, he deserves the utmost respect despite his morning odds suggesting otherwise.

THE GILL BROTHERS (best price 7-2) is quite a tricky one for the handicapper to assess having only had the three starts, but based on the numbers that Stuart Williams’ inmate posted here on his latest visit, the three-year-old could still have a bit in hand even off an opening gambit of 87.

Impressive with the way he swept aside his opposition on all-weather debut at Kempton in September, the three-year-old grey was a warm order to follow up over tonight’s course last time out and he duly delivered the goods with what can only be described as a silky-smooth display. Noted travelling well in behind the pace-setting pair, when pulled out for his challenge at the two pole he found a ready turn of foot and that was backed up by his impressive last three-furlong sectional of 34.6, which was by some way the best on the card. Albeit those closing splits were very good, it was also noticeable that it took him a while to hit top gear, so with tonight’s extra furlong allowing him a little more time to find his stride, the lightly-raced son of Mukhadram can complete the hat trick at the expense of some useful handicappers.

SANDY STEVE (NAP) (best price 3-1) hasn’t been seen out since scoring in the style of a rapidly-improving all-weather horse at Kempton well over a month ago, but hopefully Stuart Williams’ inmate will be worth the wait as he bids to continue his progression up the ranks.

An impressive winner when coming from well off the pace over tonight’s C&D back in August, the son of Aussie Rules next encountered an artificial surface at the Surrey venue 57 days later and if anything, he was even more taking in all departments. Once again settled in the rear, the three-year-old still had a fair bit on his plate as the field turned for home, but he quickly made up the ground as the cutaway appeared and he surged past his rivals in a few bounds to win going away. Looking at his figures in comparison to the 77-rated State Of Affairs, who landed the Middle Distance Qualifier half an hour earlier, and it reveals that Sandy Steve not only posted a faster overall and final lap time, but his closing split of 36.8 was also quicker than his higher-rating counterpart from three out (State Of Affair 37.5). Based on these findings, therefore, he still appears well treated even off his revised mark of 67, so it’s just a case of whether he’s in the same form after his mini-break. Hopefully, that’ll prove to be the case as his odds could have been a lot shorter given the numbers he’s been knocking out for the grade.