Andy Holding's Saturday Racing Tips

GIVE HER A SQUEEZE (best price 4-1) has run extremely well in two above-average juvenile contests and with the greatest respect to some of her rivals here this afternoon, this looks by far and away her easiest task so far to date.

Impressing with the way she went through her opening gambit at Tipperary over five-furlongs, it was only in the closing stages that Mark Fagan’s filly effort petered out, but when you consider the time figure of the race in question and the subsequent performances of those involved in the finish such as Measure Of Magic, Aloha Star and Mooneista, it’s pretty clear she ran to a very high standard first time off the bat. Pitched into Group 3 company in order to try and achieved black type last time out at Naas, the daughter of Kodiac managed to pull off that feat by finishing a creditable third behind the very smart Mother Earth and with the speed figure once again suggesting she’d been involved in another well-run affair, she has the sort of background which will stand her good stead in these much calmer waters here this afternoon. A big, powerful filly for whom today’s extra yardage should aid her cause, it will be disappointing to say the very least if she couldn’t finish in the frame in a race of this nature. 

As we’ve seen time and time again over today’s straight track, previous course form at the Berkshire venue can be a massive advantage and having gone well here in the past, both EBURY (best price 8-1) and CLIFFS OF CAPRI (best price 14-1) make plenty of appeal at their respective morning odds.

The former is the shorter of the pair in the betting and that’s probably largely to do with the fact he’s one of the less exposed members of the field. Only having his seventh race in his career when he arrived here in the Buckingham Palace Handicap a month ago, Martyn Meade’s gelding proceeded to run extremely well in an ultra-competitive affair and if it wasn’t for being drawn completely on the wrong side of the track (won his race on the far side), he may have gone close to adding to his previous victory at the same track back in September. Nicely drawn (stall 13) close to the likely front runners in the shape of Jack’s Point (11) and Gin Palace (10), the four-year-old should get a nice tow into the business end and having already proven himself fully effective on soft ground, the forecast showers set to hit the course during the build-up to the race will play even further in to his strengths.

The latter has tremendous course stats at the Berkshire venue that read 15134, and following another high-class display at the Royal meeting when fourth in the Buckingham Palace Handicap, it’s difficult to make a strong case out for him not hitting the frame again. Staying on well from the rear of the field 39 days ago, Jamie Osborne’s gelding once again proved that the stiff nature of today’s course really plays into his strengths and with the winner going on to land the Bunbury Cup on his next start, plus the likes of Glen Shield, Documenting and Hey Jonesy also recording notable successes since, he easily has some of the most relevant form next to his name. 

Although JOHAN (best price 9-2) has yet to set foot over today’s hallowed turf, he has the run-style to suggest he will be well-suited by the stiff nature of the Berkshire venue and hailing from a yard who has an embarrassment of riches in the three-year-old handicap department, William Haggas’ colt has many positive aspects to his chances. 

Given time to find his feet at Newbury on his seasonal bow, the son of Zoffany still had a fair task on his hands at halfway but in staying on relentlessly in the final two furlongs, he gradually chipped away at the smooth-travelling Breathalyze to in the end, win a shade comfortably. Considering how well those hold-up tactics worked a treat 43 days ago and with today’s straight track lending itself to horses ridden well off the speed, one would like to think he will be ridden in a similar fashion, and if so, he’s expected to come on strong in the latter stages and grab a huge slice of the action.

BOUNCE THE BLUES (best price 10-1) shaped with a huge amount of promise on her debut over today’s course 17 days ago and with just normal improvement, she’s 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 swam 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 cope with the inclement weather should it turn nasty during the day, the daughter of Excelebration looks sure to outrun her morning odds in a contest not exactly brimming with progressive talent.

There was a lot to like about the way GLITTERBOX GIRL (best price 10-1) shaped on her debut in a useful fillies’ contest at Thirsk a month ago and if showing expected improvement from her initial outing, Julie Camacho’s filly can prove herself to be more than a dangerous floater against many similar types.

In-keeping with a first-time-out runner from her stable, she was sent off at 28-1 at the Yorkshire venue and having taken a while to find her stride in the early stages, she was trading at a much bigger price by halfway. From that point onward, however, she did some really nice work without being subject to a hard ride and when you take into account she finished on the heels of several who have gone on to ply their trade in listed company since, to say it wasn’t a bad effort would be an understatement. Hopefully a little sharper in all departments second time around, the daughter of Kodiac is likely to play a bigger role than her morning odds imply. 

INTRINSIC BOND (NAP) (best price 11-4) was plain and simply all at sea around the nature of Catterick’s sharp six-furlongs last time out, but now back over a course layout which is much more suitable, Tracy Waggott’s gelding looks poised to stamp his authority against this sort of opposition. 

A comfortable winner of a novice event at Newcastle back in March, the son of Intrinsic was upped significantly in grade when tackled some stellar opposition in a Class 3 handicap over today’s course on his next outing, and although he finished just outside the frame in fourth, he came out of the race with an immense amount of credit. In a well-run affair on Town Moor, the three-year-old was just behind the likes of Society Lion and Jumaira Bay, who both had the distinction of finishing ahead of subsequent French Derby winner Mishriff in a maiden at Yarmouth last season and, as a result, he was well-supported to take advantage of the same mark at the Yorkshire venue 10 days later. Missing the kick, he forfeited his advantageous draw in stall one and ended up towards the rear of the field by halfway and even though he made up a reasonable amount of ground in the latter stages, the dye was cast. On the small samples we have of him, a well-run six-furlongs seems to be his optimum, and a repeat of his previous exploits here should be suffice to see him very hard to beat in this significant drop in grade.