Andy Holding's Saturday Racing Tips

EDRAAK (best price 9-4) caused a little bit of a surprise when he managed to score on his first start for new connections at Newcastle on the first day after the resumption of racing and with his numbers suggesting there was no fluke about the performance, Michael Appleby’s inmate rates a strong choice to make a winning handicap debut.

No match for the useful Alraaja on his only outing for Owen Burrows, the son of Elzaam was given plenty of time to come to himself under his current guidance and that 273-day break clearly did him the world of good on the evidence of his destructive display at Gosforth Park. Although the field didn’t go crazy early on 12 days ago, the tempo increased appreciably from halfway and it was from that point onwards when the four-year-old really turned on the charm. In running the last three-furlongs in 34.6, the lightly-raced gelding quickened right away from his rivals to the tune of three lengths and with the fair guide, 86-rated Bond’s Boy, well beaten back in third, the form has a decent amount of stability attached. When you also consider the next best split on the card was the very highly rated Art Power with 36.0, it puts into context how fast he was trapping late on and with his opening mark of just 83 looking more than workable, hopefully he can repeat the dose back on turf.

SUNDAY SOVEREIGN (best price 15-8) proved a bitter disappointment to all concerned when sent off a red-hot 13-8 favourite for last season’s Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot, but now changed hands and given plenty of time to overcome whatever was ailing him that day, the son of Equiano is fancied to make up for lost time.

Big on the numbers when winning at Tipperary and Curragh prior to his date with destiny at the Berkshire venue, for one reason or another Roger Varian’s colt just failed to turn up. Whether it was a case of him not travelling over well or something else that prevented him from scaling the heights expected, we will never know, but there’s a good chance that a change of scenery may work the oracle. Based on his previous performances, a well-run five-furlongs over a stiff track should suit and this classy three-year-old will hopefully bounce back to his brilliant best.

This listed fillies’ prize looks up for grabs now with the withdrawal of likely hot-pot Domino Darling and, having impressed with her attitude when scoring nicely on debut, SHATHA (best price 8-1) is quietly fancied to make a relatively successful step into pattern company. Back her to finish in the top three too. 

Sent off an unconsidered 66-1 chance at the Sunbury venue, Charlie Hills’ filly went through the race much better than her odds suggested she would, and having picked up the running on the home turn in a bid to land the upset, she knuckled down to the task once joined by the staying-on Lightness. What the form might amount to over time is anyone’s guess, but the fact that the race in question 10 days ago was on par with the listed contest for the same sex half an hour later suggested it probably wasn’t a bad novice event of its kind and with the size and scope to improve considerably throughout the season, the daughter of Muhaarar is likely to punch above her weight if she can translate the same performance onto a different surface.

EXEC CHEF (best price 4-1) made a satisfactory start to the new campaign with solid effort in a hot little handicap at Newmarket last week and Jim Boyle’s reliable gelding appears a reasonable each-way alternative to the short priced favourite, Solid Stone.

Although winless for two years now, Jim Boyle’s gelding has been locking horns with many smart handicappers in that period, optimised by his effort Newmarket on his seasonal reappearance. In a race run at a sound clip at HQ, the five-year-old chestnut could only find the one pace inside the final two furlongs but when you consider the winner was knocking out backend fractions better than 2000 Guineas hero Kameko, it puts into context what he was up against a week ago. Having run well on his only previous outing at today’s track and racing of a similar mark to his last success, the son of Excelebration rates a solid each-way alternative to the favourite.

FACE OFF (best price 14-1) ran a series of fine races without much reward against stiffer opposition than she faces today and, having gone well at this time of year in the past, a big run looks in the offing at a track that also suits.

Slightly below par on her first start to last season’s campaign, Charles O’Brien’s mare soon made up for that uncharacteristic display when landing a similar handicap over the same C&D on her next outing, and, as a result, she was well backed to follow suit over today’s course two months later. Despite running well, she failed in her bid to cope with the slightly higher grade but that didn’t stop her performing with great credit against some smart handicappers thereafter. Undone by a combination of bad draws, very soft ground and even a bad stumble at the start when last seen, the daughter of Mizzen Mast appears to have quite a bit in her favour this time around and she’s worth a small shy at the stumps on her seasonal debut.

Jessica Harrington would have no doubt been disappointed to see one of her better fillies from last season, Millisle, run so poorly in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket last week, but there’s every chance Albigna can make amends for the Moone handler in the Irish equivalent. That said, she’s been chalked up accordingly and, in a race where’s there not a lot between the main players and there will be little room for error, the better options at the prices might turn out to be SO WONDERFUL (best price 9-1) and at even bigger odds, EVEN SO (best price 33-1).

The former unbelievably is still a maiden after eight starts, but in mitigation, she’s been competing at the very highest level and has never once shied away from her duties. Twice placed behind her stable companion and 1000 Guineas heroine Love, the latest of those efforts saw the daughter of War Front get within a length of the best three-year-old filly so far this season and considering she found plenty of trouble in running that day, a clearer run might have led to a different story. In the money on all three starts at today’s venue, Aidan O’Brien’s filly looks booked for another positive show.

The latter is among a dual-pronged attack by yesterday’s 2000 Guineas winning trainer Ger Lyons and she could well turn out to be the surprise package of the race. A promising third on her debut at Tipperary, the daughter of Camelot made no mistake at the second time of asking at Gowran a month later, quickening smartly from the front after setting decent fractions. All the rage to make the step into pattern company a seamless one on her seasonal return at Naas, she left the impression she was the best filly in the race despite getting beat and it comes as no surprise to see connections willing to roll the dice with this sizeable filly in Group 1 company. Sure to be suited by today’s better ground than the swamp she encountered 82 days ago, odds around the 33-1 mark looks rather insulting to this writer – especially with some firms offering four places.