Andy Holding's Saturday Racing Tips

NEW CHAPTER (best price 3-1) created quite a favourable impressive when getting off the mark at the third time of asking at Ayr last time out and with his opening mark of 79 appearing to be more than fair, William Haggas’ colt is fancied to take full advantage over a track which should play into his strengths. 

Catching the eye in two maidens over a mile, the son of Invincible Spirit was stepped up in trip for his latest encounter at the Scottish venue and despite making a bit of a meal of getting the job done, he ultimately ran out a far more comfortable winner than the official winning margin of a neck implied. Quickening up nicely to get himself out of a potentially uncompromising position at the furlong pole when he got stuck in behind his main market rival Bellatrixa, the three-year-old colt left the impression he would be even better suited by a more galloping track and stronger pace, and with those wishes likely to be granted courtesy of several solid front-runners in today’s field, this likeable and improving sort can step up another gear with the long pull from thee out set to suit.

FAVORITE MOON (best price 11-4) wins no prizes for originality but he does fit the bill as the most likely winner and even though he’s been priced up accordingly, he’s still taken to prove he’s an extremely well handicapped three-year-old. 

Runner-up to the smart Indigo Lakeover 1m4f on his seasonal reappearance at Doncaster, William Haggas’ gelding was upped in trip for his latest encounter at Haydock and after an epic battle with the strongly-fancied Subjectivist, he eventually wore down his main market rival to score in game fashion. Looking at the nuts and bolts of that race at the Merseyside venue, it revealed the son of Sea The Moon covered the last five furlongs in the quickest time of those who raced on the round track that afternoon, including the likes of Manuela De Vega and Deja and with the runner-up going on to more than hold his own in pattern company subsequently, it’s easy to believe the theory he’s got away with daylight robbery by only been raised to a new mark of just 87. In order to protect that rating, connections have saved him especially for this race ever since and with the galloping nature of today’s track on soft ground over his ideal trip set to suit, it will take a horse of Group-race standard to lower his colours.

ENIGMATIC (best price 6-1) proved an absolute revelation at Leicester last time out and providing he’s in a similar mood to what he was 12 days on, there’s a fair chance he will supplement those gains.

Dropped out from the widest draw of all at the Midland venue, Joseph Parr’s gelding found himself stone bonking last as the field turned for home, but with a long withering all the way down the long four-furlong straight, he ran right over the top of all his 11 rivals to win going away. Hitting the line really hard, the six-year-old posted much superior backend sectionals to the likes of Sorrel (rated 89) and Stunning Beauty (97), so armed with that knowledge, even a meagre 5lb rise shouldn’t be enough to prevent him going well again. Moreover, cheekpieces have been fitted for the first time just to sharpen his game up in the early stages and providing he’s within striking distance of the main players turning for home, his late charge can come into effect at the business end.

TRUESHAN (best price 8-1) has had this race in mind for the thick end of a year and with everything perfectly in place for the plan to be realised, Alan King’s improving and likeable stayer makes plenty of appeal at the morning odds.

Winner of the most competitive three-year-old staying contest of its kind at Newmarket last season, virtually every horse that ran out of that contest at HQ has gone on to boost the form since, including himself when he went on to lower the colours of Melrose Handicap scorer, Hamish, at Newbury on his final start of the campaign. Looking badly in need of the outing on his first outing for 226 days on his return to the Cambridgeshire track, the son of Planteur proved a totally different proposition next time out at Haydock when he was able to hard all the way to the line to get the better of the rapidly-improving Alignak in a wild finish. Needed every yard of the 1m4f journey to get up, the four-year-old left the impression a return to 1m6f would play more into his strengths and with today’s galloping track with a bit of ease in the ground ideal, it would be a disappointment if he didn’t have big say in the final outcome.

DÉCOR IRLANDAIS (best price 9-2) was always likely to come up a little short racing over two miles at Galway last time out, but he still ran a tremendous race despite the circumstances to finish a creditable fourth in an ultra-competitive handicap and he’s strongly fancied to prove his worth now racing over his optimum trip.

Enjoying a fruitful campaign in his first season over hurdles, Noel Kelly’s gelding managed to win and finish second three times in eight starts, the highlight of those performances coming when runner-up in the Grade 2 Leamington Novices’ Hurdle at Warwick a month before the Cheltenham festival. Although he was ultimately outclassed in the Grade 1 Ballymore Novices’ a month later, the mere fact he contested that level of competitive says a good deal for his qualities and he certainly indicated he retains all his natural verve in his latest encounter at Ballybrit. Staying on strongly in the latter stages, in-keeping with a horse who requires further, the seven-year-old chestnut finished just behind Poseidon and ahead of Goodbye Sunday, both subsequent winners, and with that run on his first outing for 142-days bound to have brought him on a bundle, he looks primed to go well despite the steadier of top weight. 

ACKLAM EXPRESS (best price 11-4) may have only won a nursery off a mark of 77 last time out, but he did it in the style of a juvenile that belongs in a much higher grade and even though he technically still has a bit to find with some of the proven performers at this level, Nigel Tinkler’s gelding is likely to confirm is rating is all wrong.

Impressive both visually and on the clock at Hamilton on his second outing, the son of Mehmas went on to prove an instant hit for new connections when winning with some panache at Goodwood and it comes as no surprise to see his current bunch of owners dreaming big and bringing him here to play against the big boys rather than piddle around in nurseries. Blessed with such a high cruising speed, one would imagine he’ll just take a lead for as long as he can before being delivered with his trade mark turn of foot inside the distance.

Without any shadow of doubt, Cadillac is the most eagerly-awaited runner on this afternoon’s card following his scintillating debut success at Leopardstown 52 days ago and this next test just boils down to whether he will show the equivalent turn of foot under today’s much softer conditions. If he does, then the rest probably need not turn up, but at the same time, if we cast Jessica Harrington’s colt aside, the battle for minor honours looks fairly wide open and SNAPRAETERA w/o Cadillac (best price 5-1) has a better chance of his odds suggest of following home the favourite.

A winner on debut at Bellewstown, Joseph O’Brien’s colt was left with far too much to do at Killarney next time out and, as a result, he had to settle for the runner-up berth behind the more positively-ridden Bubbles On Ice. Not wanting to make the same mistake twice, much more use was made of the son of Buratino at Roscommon four days ago and on this occasion, he duly made amends. Always travelling strongly at the head of affairs, he far too many guns for the well-supported Elysium at the Lenebane track and even though it looked just a mandatory all-the-way success at the time, the speed figure revealed he run by far and away the best set of numbers on the seven-race card. Clearly relishing the testing ground, the more rain that falls in the Co Kildare area the better his chance and if he’s ridden to pick up the pieces in his bid to gain valuable black type, you can see him staying on best of all to pick up a huge slice of the pie.

A cracking all-age handicap in prospect, but there look to be one or two tasty three-year-olds in among the ranks of those lurking down the foot of the page, MASTER THE STARS (best price 3-1) easily makes the most appeal.

Lightly raced with just four starts, Ed Dunlop’s colt got off the mark at the third time of asking on his second all-weather outing at Newcastle a month ago and although he failed in his bid to repeat the dose back on the turf at Ayr last time, he still came out of the race with a massive amount of credit. In a very strongly-run affair, the son of Sea The Stars only just succumb to the persistent challenge of track specialist Glasses Up in the dying stride, but with the pair well clear and the speed figure extremely heathy, it’s easy to come to the conclusion he ran to a career best. Back on a surface that saw him finish in front of today’s favourite Maqtal fair and square two starts ago, this likeable type is fancied to uphold the form.