Andy Holding's Saturday Racing Tips

COUNTRY (best price 9-2) probably doesn’t come with all the bells and whistles as some of these, but he has some pretty strong form lines attached to his CV and he only has to run to the standard of several of his previous efforts to be a player here this afternoon.

Although he failed to cut much ice in his final start last season, his effort when eighth in easily the best three-year-old staying handicap of the season over on the Rowley Mile still reads well on the figures and it meant he still remained a horse to respect in similar events during the new campaign. True to form, he backed up that performance at Haydock on his seasonal bow when keeping on well into third behind two smart handicappers and with the likes of Harrovian and Alternative Fact both going on to endorse the form subsequently, his effort looks even better now than it did on the day. Likely to be all the better for that initial outing after a 240-day break, the son of Dubawi can claim some notable scalps.

RAJINSKY (best price 5-1) has run with credit in two hot staying handicaps so far this season and with today’s 1m6f trip arguably his optimum, Tom Dascombe’s gelding is fancied to take high rank on the pick of his form.

A dual winner last season, the lightly-raced four-year-old came back to action following a 192-day break and despite 1m4f being a little on the sharp side, he shaped well by staying on nicely late in the piece to finish third behind the improving Laafy (runner-up in the Old Newton Cup since). Stepped up in trip to contest the Northumberland Plate last time out, the son of Zoffany failed to play a significant role back in seventh but given the particularly high standard of the participants in this season’s renewal, his performance still comes out well from a figures perspective. Although he’s yet to step foot at today’s Berkshire venue, he should be well suited by the galloping nature of the track and he appears to have sound each-way claims in what looks a wide-open affair.

A tremendously competitive and diverse renewal of this quality Group 1 and even though he is unproven at the very highest level, OXTED (best price 16-1) is fancied to make a significant breakthrough into the big league.

A progressive sprinter season, Roger Teal’s gelding rounded off his campaign by capturing the ultra-competitive Portland handicap at Doncaster in September, but it was his effort when runner-up to Khaadem in a listed prize at Newbury which was his greatest achievement and one that signalled bigger and better times ahead. The way he spread-eagled his field without much effort the Berkshire venue marked him down as a horse to note in the sprinting ranks and it was good to see him vindicate that view with his fine comeback win over the Rowley Mile earlier this term. Always travelling well off strong fractions 36 days ago, the son of Mayson exhibited a sharp turn of foot to carry him clear of a useful field that contained the likes of the 116-rated Brando and the improving Emaaraty Ana and although he’s going to have to raise his game again from Group 3 level, there’s more than a fair chance he can bridge the gap. Saved especially for today’s contest despite the lure of the King’s Stand and Diamond Jubilee at Royal Ascot being very tempting options, the four-year-old, who has run well over today’s C&D before, can provide his relatively small, but more-than-capable yard their biggest payday to date.

A tricky one to call not knowing for sure which side of the track will be favoured, but providing JONAH JONES (best price 6-1) isn’t completely shafted by the draw (stall 20 under the stands side rail), he has the ability to take a hand in a race of this nature.

Having seemingly lost his way with Tom Dascombe, a switch in yards was the decision taken in a bid to resurrect his career and on the evidence of what we saw at the Merseyside venue 32 days ago, the move looks to be a wise one. Noted travelling well throughout, Ed Walker’s gelding just needed the breaks in order to put the race to bed, but unfortunately for him, the gaps just didn’t materialise in time and he ended up having to play a minor role behind track specialist Celsius. The way he hit the line, however, strongly intimated a bright future lies ahead and this big, strapping sprinter should easily be capable of winning off his current mark of 90 sooner rather than later.

Some big names down on the team sheet for this marquee handicap and it’s a race ARIGATO (best price 10-1) should easily be capable of being competitive in based on his performances so far this season.

A winner over a mile here last season, William Jarvis’ gelding has gone from strength-to-strength since and his latest effort when accounting for Blown By Wind over on the Rowley Mile rubber-stamped his current wellbeing and level of improvement. Despite wasting energy by pulling like a mustang early on, he still had enough left in the tank to see off his main rivals and even though does stay beyond seven furlongs, that intermediate trip seems to suit him best. As always, they are likely to go a proper gallop from the outset here and that should ensure the son of Poet’s Voice gets plenty of cover and time to settle and providing he ends up being on the right side to the track, pace-wise, he’s likely to make his presence felt at the business end.

Of the rest, Spanish City is worth a favourable mention not least because of his solid placed efforts in the last two renewals of this race. A typically and gallant third in the Wokingham over a trip arguably just short of his best, Roger Varian’s ever-consistent gelding looks sure to go well again and he’s worth a small each-way interest for those who like to play more than one in races of this nature.

LEADERSHIP RACE (NAP) (best price 3-1) left the distinct impression with his run first time out that he was a three-year-old to keep on side, so even though bookmakers haven’t exactly missed him in the market, he’s still worth playing to prove he remains a well-handicapped horse.

A dual scorer on the all-weather during the winter campaign at Dundalk, Ger Lyons’ gelding reverted back to the turf after a 238-day break at the Curragh recently and although he couldn’t keep the winning sequence intact, he did more than enough to suggest he should be equally effective going forward. Held up towards the rear and still last going past the intersection, the son of Brazen Beau was switched and brought with a late surge down the outside and although he finished to best effect inside the final furlong, he ultimately just had a little too much to do. That said, it was still a herculean effort by this improving sort and providing he’s within striking distance of the action turning for home here this afternoon, hopefully his trademark turn of foot can be the difference.