Andy Holding's Friday Racing Tips

There’s no denying that Lieutenant Rocco is a very promising type and he may prove best of these long term, but up to now, STICK WITH BILL (best price 5-2) has a clear form edge and Harry Whittingham’s six-year-old rates the value choice of the pair.

Not good enough to make an impact in the Grade 1 Challow Hurdle at Newbury two starts ago, the six-year-old was well backed to take advantage of a huge drop down in class at Sandown last time out and having dominated throughout, he readily justified his position in the market. A powerful chasing type with a likeable attitude, the son of Oscar is clearly in his element under very testing conditions and with his pilot Gavin Sheehan also riding on a crest of a wave, the combination make for a deadly partnership.

SPRINGFIELD FOX (best price 2-1) produced a tremendous display of accurate jumping and stamina when scoring on chase debut at Chepstow three weeks ago and running over a track that often rewards horse’s with an attacking run style, the seven-year-old gelding is fancied to make all.

Following a couple of promising efforts over hurdles, Tom George’s inmate was switched to pursue a career over fences and he quickly made an instant impact at the Welsh venue. Always in command, the son of Sagamix had plenty left in the locker as he passed the line 12 lengths clear of his rivals and with the time figure backing up the visual aspect of the performance, hopefully he can dish out a similar authoritative display here this afternoon.

With the wind howling around the Co Lough track last week, it turned out to be a night that favouring those who raced close to the speed, so considering where SHEISDIESEL (NAP) (best price 6-4) was at halfway, she did remarkably well to finish as close up as she did and she therefore rates a decent bet in this much easier contest.

A real money-spinner over this course last year, it’s noticeable that her winning run came in the month of February onward, so the fact that she hasn’t managed to hit the same heights this season doesn’t really cause too much of a concern. That said, Noel Meade’s inmate has been running fairly consistently without getting her head in front and with tonight’s opposition by and large not exactly ripping up any trees, it would come as something of a disappointment if she couldn’t capitalise on this golden opportunity.

SPIORAD SAOIRSE (best price 17-2) was unlucky to bump in to a very well handicapped horse in the shape of San Andreas here two weeks ago, but even allowing for the fact he got beaten six lengths, he still ran to the sort of level that suggests he should be heavily in the mix in this slightly easier company on his return visit.

Of the track for 162-days prior, Andrew Slattery’s inmate was entitled to need the run, and while that may have been the case, he still managed to knock out the sort of time figure which points towards him being if not at his absolute best, but somewhere very close. The fact that he finished ahead of the in-form hat trick-seeking Lord Rapscallion also told a tale of how good he ran and even with just a modicum of improvement, he should be good enough to hit the frame at the very least.

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