Andy Holding's Thursday Racing Tips

Judex Lefou just about sets the standard here, but he could hardly be described as the bargain of the century around the even money mark and at the prices he’s readily passed over in favour of DORA DE JANEIRO (best price 7-2).

Promising when third in a bumper on debut at Carlisle, Simon West’s mare was sent back to the Cumbrian track for her opening gambit over hurdles and although she ended up getting beaten a fair way in the end, she shaped better than the bare result suggested. Bang there and still going well turning out the back straight, the daughter of Ballingarry just ran out of steam in the closing stages in what was a strongly-run race of its kind, but that performance represents a fair level of form in the context of today’s race and she’s worth more than a second look over this flatter, less demanding track.

VUE EN SEINE (best price 11-1) didn’t run too badly on handicap debut at Limerick last time out and it was an effort which offers plenty of encouragement with her returning to the scene of that fair effort the time before. Handed a mark of 91 after finishing a respectable fourth in a decent mares’ contest over today’s C&D back in January, the daughter of Cape Cross faced an extra half a mile at the Greenmount Park venue three weeks later and you’d have to say, she saw the trip out well. Keeping on well late on, the five-year-old finished on the coat tails of the main players in what turned out to be a proper test on heavy ground and that stamina should come in handy when she encounters similar conditions here this afternoon. A little cautious at some of her hurdles up to now, hopefully the first-time cheekpieces will help provide the assistance she needs in that department.

The draw could have been kinder as far as KEY LOOK (best price 10-3) is concerned, but such was the promise she showed on debut, that she’s still fancied to overcome that impost with that initial experience under her belt.

Extremely well-backed at the Surrey venue, unfortunately for her supporters, Simon Crisford’s inmate completely fluffed her lines at the start, so much so that she ended up being in a hopeless position turning for home. She did, however, make up the sort of late headway to strongly suggest she would have gone very close to winning had she broke on level terms and with a cleaner start her this evening, she’s afforded the chance to back up that theory in this similar event.