Andy Holding's Friday Racing Tips

BOUNCE THE BLUES (best price 9-2) shaped with a huge amount of promise on her debut at Gowran Park nine days ago and with just normal improvement, she’s strongly fancied to go close to breaking her maiden tag at the second time of asking. 

Not exactly a total no-hoper judged by the betting at the Co Kilkenny venue, her chances of winning were not helped by a coffin box wide draw in stall 18, so the fact she ended up finishing a creditable fourth against some useful types, augurs well for her future prospects. Despite being off the pace and on the wing during the early exchanges, John Feane’s mare impressed with the way she swan hard against the tide to only get beaten two lengths in the final analysis and with the overall time figure being the fastest furlong-per-furlong race on the eight-race card, her performance deserves even more praise. Much better drawn here today and likely to appreciate today’s livelier surface, the daughter of Excelebration looks sure to be involved in a contest not exactly brimming with progressive talent.

The handicap won by King’s Charisma over today’s C&D was a decent one on the figures for the grade and having run up to a fair level being the only pair able to keep tabs on David O’Meara’s double-seeking colt, both GIBRALTAR (best price 17-2) and HOOROO (best price 20-1) are worth playing against the field in this similar contest.

The former was far too keen for his own good when disappointing on his seasonal return against two useful opponents at Goodwood, but he didn’t waste any time in bouncing back to something like his best here 14 days ago and a repeat of the same level of form should see him play a prominent role. Coming from a long way back, Michael Bell’s gelding stayed on well to get within striking distance of the well-handicapped winner and with conditions at the Merseyside track likely to be suitable for his return visit, he makes plenty of each-way appeal with several firms offering five places.

The latter has at least the distinction of winning a race, which came on his final start last season, and he appears to have begun this campaign fairly brightly based on his two efforts over today’s C&D. Similarly to Gibraltar, Karl Burke’s gelding came from off the pace to offer the most resistance to King’s Charisma in the latter stages and based on that performance, there’s no reason why he won’t go well again off a similar mark.

RED VERMILLION (best price 14-1) failed to handle the sharp nature of Bellewstown last time out and, as a result, was unable to run anywhere near the level she’d shown previously at Fairyhouse, but cast that run aside, and she’s got a much better chance than her morning odds suggest against similar company.

A promising sixth in a race which has worked out as well as the time figure suggested it might at Fairyhouse back in June, Kevin Coleman’s mare did her own little bit for the form by scoring on her return visit to the Co Meath venue 10 days later, once again clocking a useful set of numbers for the grade. Staying on strongly in the latter stages that day, the daughter of Excelebration accounted for subsequent Curragh scorer Place Des Vosges in determined fashion and that victory meant she wasn’t unsupported in the market on her latest assignment. Unfortunately, the five-year-old chestnut never had a chance to get up a head of steam as she was constantly denied a clear run in the home straight and she was eventually eased right down once her winning chance had gone. Back over a more galloping track here this afternoon, she should also be well-suited by the two-mile trip she faces for the first time based on her previous encounters and there’s simply no way she should be anywhere near her crazy-looking morning odds of 14-1 just off the back of one easily excusable performance. 

TRUESHAN (NAP) (best price 15-8) was just overly keen to get on with matters on his seasonal return at Newmarket and, as a result, he ended up paying for those early exertions late on, but the main thing was he went with all the zest which marked him down as a young stayer to follow last season and he’s taken to create more positive chat about him being a genuine Ebor candidate here this afternoon.

Progressive all last season, the culmination of Alan King’s gelding’s early groundwork was his victory in easily the best 1m4f three-year-old handicap at HQ back in October and he went on to put some icing on the cake when lowering the colours of Melrose winner, Hamish, over two furlongs further a couple of weeks later. On each occasion, the four-year-old proved that stamina is very much his strong suit and you can easily see him being well-suited to a test on the Knavesmire next month – especially if the ground rides on the soft side. Before that assignment, he has to get there and prove himself equal to the task against a better class of opponent here this afternoon, but racing over a track that saw him run well last season and with conditions to suit, hope is high the son of Planteur can rise to the occasion.