Andy Holding's Saturday Racing Tips

The draw was always likely to prove unkind for NOORBAN (best price 14-1) in the Lowther Stakes at York last time out, so in the circumstances, she didn’t fare too badly to finish a creditable seventh, and she’s afforded another chance to prove her rating of 85 doesn’t do her anywhere near enough justice.

Well-touted prior to making her debut at Beverley, David O’Meara’s filly duly justified her position in the market and it was a performance worth upgrading considering how much ground she had to make up from halfway. Pitched into Group 2 company on the Knavesmire, the daughter of Sepoy was always rowing against the tide having to race wide with no cover and away from where all the main was taking place, but she did keep on well enough to finish a respectable seventh, beating off some useful opponents in the process. Drawn 21 of today’s 30-strong field, whether the nearside of the track ends up being the place to be like it was here last weekend is anyone’s guess, but providing it doesn’t prove to be a negative, this scopey filly has the qualities to make some sort of impact.

CHAMPERS ELYSEES (best price 7-2) would be right up there vying for the Ireland’s horse of the season alongside A Step Too far and Princess Zoe, and if Johnny Murtagh’s filly can end the campaign by capturing another Group 1 prize, she might just walk away with the hypothetical title. 

A wildly-impressive winner of a listed fillies’ event at the Galway Festival, the daughter of Elzaam was a little more workmanlike in victory in a similar contest next time at Gowran, but that didn’t stop connections shooting for the moon on her latest encounter at Leopardstown. Held up towards the rear, the four-year-old looked to have a mountain to climb as the field swept for home, but in putting in a power-packed finish down the outside, she engulfed some high-class fillies’ to ultimately win going away. Whether she ends up being just as effective over today’s straight mile would be the only slight question mark, but as she has plenty of solid form at the Curragh, she should be fine, and in any case, she holds most of today’s rivals on the evidence of her recent exploits and she rates a decent bet to be crown champion filly on the season. 

Following Richard Fahey blind in this race in recent times hasn’t been a bad policy and the Musley Bank handler looks to have another strong hand in this year’s renewal with SHARK TWO ONE (best price 15-2) and BLIND BEGGAR (best price 18-1) the two who make the most appeal out of the four he sends to post.

The former arrives here having already landed one of these big sales races at the Curragh last time out, so that performance in a large field should stand him in good stead. Although he was hanging for dear life close home, he did impress with the way he went through that race at the Co Kildare venue and the fact he drops back half a furlong on an easier, flatter track, should be to his benefit. On the evidence of the last meeting here on soft ground, high numbers certainly had an advantage so hopefully stall 20 will work out okay, and having also handled soft ground to good effect the time before at Newmarket, he does have most boxes ticked.

The latter has to prove he stays this trip, but he certainly hasn’t been stopping over all of his races over five furlongs and he looks worth a punt at the prices that he will. Indeed, the way he came home last time out at Haydock very much suggested he wants further and his body of work against the likes of Umm Kulthum and Ey Up It’s Maggie also reads well in the context of today’s race.

Put The Kettle On rates the most fascinating runner in today’s field having rounded off the last campaign with a shock victory in the Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival and a lot depends on whether she’s 100% fit after her long absence. Whether she’s as effective at the very highest level over 2m4f is also a slight unknown, so on this occasion, she’s passed over in favour of match-fit, THE STORYTELLER (best price 5-2).

A class act himself over fences, a spell over hurdles almost resulted in him landing the Pertemps Final at last season’s Cheltenham Festival and he’s carried forward that excellent level of form to this campaign. A smooth winner over fences at Galway two starts ago was followed up by a drubbing of the useful My Sister Sarah at the same venue last time out and with 2m4f on decent ground ideal for Gordon Elliot’s gelding, he might just hold sway late on if he can keep in touch with Henry De Bromhead’s mare during the early stages. 

IBN ARABI (NAP) (best price 11-2) has shaped extremely nicely on both his two starts to date and with both of those efforts coming over tonight’s course, George Scott’s colt is fancied to press home that local knowledge to full effect. 

Never dangerous having been slowly away and green on his first visit to the Dunstall Park track two months ago, George Scott’s colt was a little more prominent in the market when he arrived back there a month later and that money his direction was justified as he chased home the very useful Abduction in what looked a far heat for the grade. The winner had previously run well from a bad draw in the Ballyhane Stakes at Naas, so was clearly very smart, so to get within three lengths of Richard Fahey’s colt having been well off the pace early was an excellent return from this progressive juvenile. Moreover, both the second and third have both gone on to advertise the form of the race in question since and with tonight’s extra furlong likely to bring about further improvement, it would be disappointing if the son of No Nay Never doesn’t have a huge say in the final outcome.