Andy Holding's Friday Racing Tips

A relatively conventional contest as far as jumper’s bumpers are concerned, so it may pay to stay on the right side of OKAVANGO DELTA (best price 9-2) who showed distinct signs of promise on the grass here in a similar race on his debut 56 days ago. 

Sent off 18-1 for his opening bow, things took a turn for the worse down at the start as Rose Dobbin’s gelding took a kick from one of his rivals, but still allowed to take his chance, he brushed aside that incident to finish a creditable third behind two strongly-fancied and useful rivals. Keeping on stoutly in the closing stages after getting slightly outpaced as the tempo increased significantly three out, he left the impression he would be all the better for the initial experience and with the runner-up, Tommy’s Oscar, going on to fly the flag for the form in a major way since, hopefully the son of Ocanvango can follow suit providing he handles today’s different surface.

MOLLIANA (best price 9-2) was the only one to offer any sort of resistance to stable mate and subsequent winner Chinwag at Wincanton last time out but as that effort was a fair one under the circumstances, she at least arrives here in the sort of shape to suggest she should be equally competitive in a race where many of her rivals appear devoid of basic speed.

A six-time on the Flat in Les Landes, Jersey, Neil Mulholland’s mare has also had a dabble on the all-weather before, finishing a creditable third in a competitive 1m4f handicap at Wolverhampton this time last year, so that has to be considered a plus point as far as today’s assignment is concerned. A winner on her first start back over hurdles after a break at Chepstow in October, the daughter of Olden Times clearly continues in good form and hailing from a stable who are also going great guns of late, she looks booked to go well on her return to the level.

FAAKHIRAH (NAP) (best price 7-2) has been plying her trade to a decent standard in races much tougher than the one she faces here this evening and confidence is high she can take advantage of what appears a good opportunity to strike at the fifth time of asking for new connections. 

A winner previously for Godolphin before being snapped up by the Ado McGuinness outfit, the daughter of Dawn Approach has yet to run a bad race in four starts to date at tonight’s venue and, with the best performance of the quartet coming over the C&D just before the break, it’s just a case of whether she returns to action in the same sort of shape. In what turned out to be a very strongly-run affair, the four-year-old filly looked the most likely winner at the furlong pole until the looming presence of track specialist Whatharm reared his ugly head and although she got readily brushed aside in the closing stages, the time figure of the race strongly hinted it was still no mean effort to finish runner-up. Nicely drawn in the middle of the field and with a solid pace almost guaranteed, everything should set up perfectly for her to run to maximum capacity.