Andy Holding's Tuesday Racing Tips

Aidan O’Brien has totally dominated this Derby trial over the last two decades with no fewer than 12 winners, so it goes against the grain to look any further than a Ballydoyle representative. That said, whether the likes of Russian Emperor or Iberia are in the same bracket as some of his previous inmates is open to question, so there may be some mileage in looking towards SUNCHART (best price 5-1) as a smidgen of value from a smaller, less heralded stable.

The Teofilo colt made his debut in a Listowel maiden and he acquitted himself with great credit by staying on nicely in the closing stages to finish within a length of the more-experienced short-priced favourite, Santiago. Doing all his best work at the finish that day, the rangy three-year-old was a warm order to vindicate the impression he created at the Kerry venue over a furlong further at Tipperary a month later and having travelled best throughout, he ended up making light work of ten opponents. Once out on the clear inside the final two furlongs, Andrew Slattery’s colt really quickened well in the testing conditions and it was interesting to note that he managed to cover the last four furlongs in a similar split time to the Group 3 winner on the same card, Yulong Gold Fairy, who had the luxury of racing over two furlongs shorter. Clearly a smart colt in the making based on just limited evidence, he has the size and scope to do really well as a three-year-old and with today’s better ground likely to help, rather than hinder his long, raking stride, it would come as a disappointment to all connected with him if he fails to make the grade either today or at some stage further down the line.

There’s obviously a risk or two surrounding the prospects of BRIAN EPSTEIN (best price 7-2) considering he’s been off the track for over a year, but providing he retains most of the ability he exhibited when last seen, he has a fair chance of stamping his class on proceedings.

Progressive with each start last season, Richard Hannon’s colt capped off a series of fine performances with a smooth success at Musselburgh, in turn, lowering the colours of several who have gone on to boost the form during the ensuing period. A likeable type with a good cruising speed and smart turn of foot, today’s task looks well within his range based on his previous exploits and he’s worth a small interest to see if he can get his season off to a flyer.

At this stage of the season, we are predominately looking for progressive three and four-year-old that might be some way ahead of their current marks in early-season handicaps and the one that fits the bill here is GODHEAD (best price 10-3).

John Gosden’s colt began his career in the best possible fashion when lowering the colours of his stable mate Sherrifmuir at Kempton and although he failed in his bid to follow up at Wolverhampton next time out, there were mitigating circumstances surrounding that defeat (pulled too hard in a slowly run affair and hit over the head with the whip late on). Back on track with a smooth success back at the Sunbury venue when last seen, the drop back to seven-furlongs didn’t seem to inconvenience the son of Charm Spirit one iota and hailing from a yard who have begun the campaign with all guns blazing, the flashy chestnut is fancied to make some sort of impact off a mark of 87 on handicap debut. Looking at the action here yesterday, it certainly paid to be handy, so providing Robert Havlin can get a lead and tuck in behind likely pace setters Lincoln Park and Healing Power, his mount should be in the perfect place to strike turning for home.

From a relatively slow start, there are signs the Ralph Beckett team are beginning to find their stride and that fact provides a good deal of confidence in STAGIAIRE (best price 15-8) providing the Kimpton handler with his fourth winner in as many days.

Yet to win in five starts, the daughter of Sea The Moon offered plenty of hope for the future on her latest outing at Lingfield when she was noted doing all her best work at the finish over 1m4f. On the evidence of that performance at the Surrey track, the three-year-old is likely to be a more potent form over distances in and around that mark going forward and with the overall form levels and time figure of that heat back in March stacking up well in the context of today’s race, her unaffected mark of 69 looks more than workable in the short term.