Andy Holding's Friday Racing Tips

BALANCING ACT (best price 5-1) ran a fair race against the track bias at Pontefract last time out and, as a result, gave out enough positive signals to suggest her winning turn isn’t too far away.

Hung out on the wing in stall 10 of 10 at the Yorkshire venue, the daughter of No Nay Never was forced to race the entire race in lane eight, so to finish her race off as strongly as she did is testimony to her courage and current wellbeing. Looking in need of the run when receiving a similar set of circumstances over today’s C&D on her first start of the campaign, Jedd O’Keeffe’s filly did at least prove she can handle the stiff, right-handed track and even though she hasn’t been done too many favours again by the draw, another big effort looks on the cards. 

ICE SPRITE (NAP) (best price 7-4) has been handed, on the face of it, not a bad mark on handicap debut and she’s fancied to exploit her apparent lenient rating in a three-year-old contest there for the taking. 

A promising fifth to her stable mate With Thanks in a smart fillies maiden over on the Rowley Mile towards the backend of last season, the form has worked out well since with the likes of Waliyak (runner-up in the Sandringham and now rated 88) and First Kingdom (also rated 88) going on to much better things this term, so that’s one of the main reasons behind the thinking she could have got in quite lightly here. Moreover, her performance on her first outing for 245-days in a strongly-run affair at Yarmouth last time out also lends plenty of weight behind the same theory and hailing from a yard really beginning to kick into top gear over the last well or so, William Haggas’ filly looks primed to go well. 

Some really progressive three-year-olds go to post for this sought-after prize and even though the handicapper didn’t miss RED KELLY (best price 5-2) when winning what looked a competitive handicap on paper beforehand at Leopardstown last time out, he’s still strongly fancied to continue his progression through the ranks. 

A big eye-catcher in what’s turned out to be one of the pivotal maidens run so far this season in Ireland, Johnny Murtagh’s colt was handed a mark of just 68 for his handicap debut at the Dublin venue a month ago and having travelled like the wrath of god throughout the contest, he pulled readily clear within the twinkling of an eye to score by seven lengths. Eased down close home, it’s almost impossible to know how much more the son of Manduro had in hand over the rest of the field had he been pushed out to the line, but the fact that the likes of Dawn Over Owning, Sideshift and Shake A Leg have all come out and dotted up in handicaps since strongly suggests the winner could still be the right side of the assessor even off his new perch of 89. Given how strong he was in the latter stages 23 days ago and from a family that suggests today’s step up in trip will suit, this flashy chestnut is likely to take plenty of stopping despite the presence of Baby Zeus (form of his Navan fourth working out well) and Marchons Ensemble (finished off strongly at Leopardstown last time) in the field. 

SAMMYLOU (best price 9-4) clicked instantly with tonight’s C&D at the opening fixture and with conditions set to ride almost identical to what they were 17 days ago, the son of Beneficial looks set to provide his in-form handler with another winner.

Registering only one win on his 18 previous starts, Graeme McPherson’s gelding wouldn’t have been a confident choice for many going into what appeared a competitive heat, but the way he won dispelled all of those preconceptions. Always travelling well in rear, the seven-year-old was produced with a well-timed challenge at the last and then only having to be nudged out on the run-in, he asserted to record a cosy success. In doing so, the seven-year-old ran the last circuit quicker than the likes of Ashutor and Shiroccan Roll, who had the luxury of racing over a mile shorter, so based on those findings, even a slight tweak in his official rating is unlikely to make much difference if he’s in the same mood.

THE TRADER (best price 4-1) has picked up where he left off last season with two quality performances in top-class handicaps and he looks destined to run another big race at a track he’s gone well in the past.

Fourth in what was by a mile the best middle-distance three-year-old handicap run at Newmarket last season, the likes of Trueshan, First In Line, Rhythmic Intent, Country, Dreamweaver, Cape Cavalli and more recently, Sinjaari in the John Smith’s Cup have all come out done their bit for the form and Mark Johnston’s gelding is no different. Making all back over the same C&D on his seasonal return, the son of Mastercraftsman has gone on to finish a creditable third in the ultra-competitive Old Newton Cup at Haydock last time out and considering he was on the sharp throughout of a very strong pace, his effort deserves extra praise. Although he’d prefer to lead in an ideal world, it’s not a prerequisite, and with Groveman another who likes to bowl along, the four-year-old grey can still be fully effective if deciding to drop in behind. Either way, this likeable and honest sort rates a strong choice at the morning odds.