Andy Holding's Sunday Racing Tips

Everyone seems to be going nuts over the chances of Get It in this valuable two-year-old contest and while it sure pays to respect Clive Cox’s colt following his excellent effort when fourth to subsequent scorer Tactical in the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot, whether he has stronger form than HAPPY ROMANCE (best price 9-2) is a moot point.

Well touted prior to her debut at Newmarket, Richard Hannon’s filly ran a good deal better than her finishing position suggested that day and, with the race at HQ working out well subsequently, it was no surprise to see her land the odds at Sandown with a degree of comfort on her next start. Sent to Royal Ascot to contest the Queen Mary just a week later, the daughter of Dandy Man only just out of the money finishing a creditable fifth of the 18-strong field and when you consider the subsequent performances of those in and around her that day, her effort certainly deserves upgrading the more times the race is revisited. Wins for the likes of Caroline Dale, Sardinia Sunset, DickieDooda, Star Of Emaraaty, plus numerous others who have gone on to hit the frame in quality races since have all paid a huge compliment to the time figures clocked by the winner Campenelle in the best two-year-old contest of the Royal meeting by a mile and hailing from set-up who have been responsible for nine winners of this race since its inception back in 1991, this robust filly should take high rank.

Another who’s also proven on the clock, albeit on a smaller stage, is TINOCHIO (best price 8-1) and he’s worth a small each-way interest despite a potentially tricky draw in stall one (last winner from a single-figure draw, Charles The Great from stall five in 2011).

A big eye-catcher first time out at Pontefract when noted making good late headway from the rear after totally blowing the start, Kevin Ryan’s colt made no mistake second time up at Hamilton by running out a hugely impressive winner of a similar novice event. Always travelling well at the Scottish track, the son of Buratino showed a smart turn of foot to turn away his eight rivals inside the final furlong and with the runner-up and seventh both scoring since, this flashy chestnut has a decent chance of providing his Yorkshire handler with his first victory in a race where he’s suffered so many near misses in the past.

We all have been guilty of having horses we follow over a cliff, for good or bad reasons, and while DANCIN INTHESTREET (best price 9-1) is in danger of falling into the latter category for this writer, she’s afforded another chance to vindicate the view she’s a good deal better than her current rating of 87.

Hugely unlucky on her first outing of the season at Haydock, William Haggas’ filly was well-backed to make amends in the big three-year-old, five-furlong sprint at the Royal meeting and although she didn’t quite manage to land the punt, her performance in finishing a creditable third was upgradable due to the traffic problems she encountered on the way. Once again very strong in the market for a similar contest at Newmarket last week, the daughter of Muhaarar had no issues with getting a clear run at HQ, only this time she got completely shafted by the draw. Finishing miles clear of the five rivals who raced over on the far side rail, she couldn’t quite peg back two who slipped the field down the favoured middle part of the track, but at least that effort went some way to suggesting she’s still remains a well-treated horse. The mere fact, therefore, here ultra-shrewd handler is prepared to let handicaps slide for the time being in order to try and obtain some black-type while she’s in rattling form speaks volumes for the regard she’s held in at home and having bagged a decent draw that will help her shoot right down the middle of the Knavesmire, her morning odds of 20-1 have more to do with her current rating rather than her ability and potential.

Frenetic has shown blistering speed in her two victories so far to date and while the first of those wins came at the expense of MOTHER EARTH (NAP) (best price 2-1), Aidan O’Brien’s filly rates a strong choice to exact her revenge over a trip likely to play into her strengths the most.

Upwards of at least five lengths behind Ger Lyons’ filly by halfway on her debut at Navan, the daughter of Zoffany made giant strides into that deficit in the latter stages, so much so, that if there was another furlong to race at the Co Meath track, there was more than a fair chance she would have caught and headed her old rival. A creditable third in the Albany Stakes behind subsequent Duke Of Cambridge Stakes winner Dandalla on her next outing, she went on to shed her maiden tag on her latest start when capturing a Group 3 contest at Naas and in doing so, she clocked a very fast speed figure for a two-year-old. Indeed, her backend sectionals also indicated she was trapping at a fair old rate of knots if you compare her numbers to the other juvenile contest and the old-horse sprint handicap on the same card and with the likelihood of more to come as the season progresses, she’s clearly developing along the lines of a high-class filly. Moreover, as she showed at the Co Kildare venue, she has a distinct preference for a bit of ease in the ground and being drawn right next to Frenetic here this afternoon should allow Wayne Lordan to track the ‘right’ horse before being delivered with a knockout punch in the latter stages.

The Northumberland Plate run at Newcastle several weeks ago was noted for its exceptionally strong time figure and having run well for separate reasons, both CARWENNAN (best price 11-1) and RAJINSKY (best price 10-1) stand out as extremely solid candidates for this similar prize 22 days on.

The former came out best of pair by one place and in doing so he confirmed he’s improving his game along the right lines. Keeping on well from the rear, Charlie Fellows’ gelding did best of those held up right off the pace at the Gosforth Park venue and when you consider the kind of horse who were ahead of him that day, his performance deserves extra praise. A triple winner in two-mile handicaps last season, his only poor run was in this race twelve months ago, but being as the extremely tacky ground can be offered as a plausible excuse, the son of Cacique can be relied upon to run his useful honest race on today’s better surface.

The latter finished a creditable seventh in the Pitman’s Derby, a position that barely seemed plausible considering how hard he pulled in the early stages. A good deal more amenable to restraint at Ascot last time out, Tom Dascombe’s gelding finished his race off with purpose, it was only a shame he found just one too good in the shape of the unconsidered outsider, Calling The Wind. That said, the pair pulled six lengths clear of the rest, which is a good sign, and a repeat of either performance should see him outrun his morning odds.

JAC BROWN (best price 13-2) has been plying his trade predominately on heavy ground, but it’s worth pointing, his only career victory and latest useful effort at Uttoxeter both came on a much quicker surface, so he’s definitely worth more than a second look under similar conditions what he faced 13 days ago.

It’s been well over a year now since Debra Hamer’s gelding landed a bumper at Ffos Las and he looked set for a lucrative career over hurdles, but despite several reasonably promising efforts, he’s still come up a little short of the mark. However, there was a good deal encouragement to be gleaned from his performance at the Midland venue off the back of a 122-day break and with the time figure of the race in question the best furlong-per-furlong time on the card, that initial outing when he kept on strongly all the way to the line should set him nicely for another positive display.

The maiden won by Terasa Mendoza here at the last meeting was notable for its useful speed figure, and having being the only horse to offer any resistance to the impressive winner, MONAASIB (best price 11-4) makes significant appeal back at the scene of that above-average display.

Slowly away and too green to make any sort of impact on his debut over the same C&D a month earlier, Kevin Prendergast’s colt proved a totally different proposition with that initial experience under his belt and if it wasn’t for the fine turn of foot the winner showed nine days ago, he would have run out a comfortable scorer in his own right. Four lengths back to the rest, the backend sectional by the front pair were only bettered by the top-class older horse Make A Challenge on the same card so unless there’s something special lurking among the unraced brigade, it will be disappointing if the son of Bobby’s Kitten didn’t take a race of this nature.

Looking at the betting, Magnanimous rates the most likely danger, and while that might turn out to be the case, there’s simply no way SHAMBARA (best price 33-1) should be chalked up almost 30 times the price based on their previous encounter at Fairyhouse 34 days ago.

Making her debut at the Co Meath venue, Johnny Murtagh’s was very easy to back, hence the 16-1 starting price, and although she never looked like dispelling her position in the market, she ran a good deal better than the bare result suggested. Slow away and last at halfway, the daughter of The Last Lion began to make inroads into the lost deficit turning for home and by the time she’d hit the line, she’d managed to work her way into a creditable sixth, one place behind her old rival Magnanimous who had a much smoother trip. Despite the race in question being nothing special on the numbers, it was still an encouraging performance all the same and with the likelihood of her being a good bit sharper this time around, she has to be worth a small each-way interest to prove her morning odds are considerably out of line.