Cheltenham Tips: Andy Holding's Friday Racing Tips

It’s been well documented that the Gordon Elliott ‘team’ has the best crop of juveniles this season and after clocking the quickest speed figure by a four-year-old for many years, Zanahiyr is an undisputed and worthy favourite. A beautiful jumper and an action which suggests he will be well suited by the quickest conditions he’s faced so far to date, the classy-looking chestnut has a far superior set of form lines and time figures than chief UK raider, Tritonic, so it’s easy to see why he’s such a short price. He might, though, not entirely have it all his own way based on the numbers if stable mate QUILIXIOS (best price 3-1) repeats the level of form he exhibited when winning the Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown a month ago.
Heading in to that Grade 1 at the Dublin Racing Festival unbeaten in three previous starts, the son of Maxios was well-backed to maintain that impressive record and having travelled well throughout, he pulled nicely clear of some smart rivals, one of which ran extremely well in the Boodles Handicap on the first day of the meeting. Looking at the overall figures and final lap sectionals from that cracking contest 40 days ago, Henry De Bromhead’s gelding was a good bit better than subsequent Supreme hero Appreciate It in all departments, and considering he probably had plenty more to offer if required, his performance was right up there with the best of his division this season. An uncomplicated type who has a bombproof temperament to match his ability, the rigours of the New Course should suit this strong stayer at the trip and he rates the value bet of the two Denise Foster-trained pair in the hands of a jockey who must be seeing it like a football, to coin a cricketing term. 

Once again, a race where second-season novices have a decent record in recent times and the two who make the most appeal from that category in this sought-after handicap are CHAMPAGNE GOLD (best price 7-1) and FIFTY BALL (best price 14-1).

The former represents a stable who have simply been on fire here this week and he has the right profile for a race of this nature. Lightly-raced and unexposed, Henry De Bromhead’s gelding arrives here having put in a career-high performance in a similar contest to the one he tackles today at the Dublin Racing Festival a month ago and considering it was his first run in a big-field, strongly-run handicap, his effort deserves plenty of praise. Setting off towards the rear of the field, the son of Presenting powered his way through the field to lead on the approach to the last and although he couldn’t match the late thrust of the eventual winner, Drop The Anchor, he still pulled miles clear of the rest. A solid third in a Grade 3 behind the smart Fakiera over 2m4f previously, he has that nice blend of speed and stamina required for an examination such as this, and with the drying ground also likely to suit based on his sire’s overall stud record, the six-year-old is fancied to get his trainer and jockey combo rocking and rolling for the day.

The latter has a similar pedigree to quite a few of these having taken part in the UK’s chief two-mile handicap at Newbury and a run close to the levels he achieved that day, should see him play a part in the finish. Held up towards the back of the field early, Gary Moore’s gelding made smooth headway to put down a significant challenge at the last and although he ultimately couldn’t quite match the pace of the winner on the run-in, his effort just to put himself in with a chance of scoring deserves the utmost praise. Hopefully, the son of Cokorico will be ridden a little more forward this time around, and if so, he can go some way to make up for the stables’ disappointment with Goshen earlier in the week.

It’s been a great week for ‘Sneezy’ Foster so far this week and things could get a whole lot better with her main representative here, FAKIERA (best price 5-1).

Starting off his season with a workmanlike victory over two miles at Fairyhouse, the son of Cokorico has worked his way through the ranks with each run and his latest effort in a Grade 1 at the Dublin Racing Festival shows just how far he’s come. Staying on well in the latter stages to finish fourth behind Ballymore second Gaillard Du Mesnil, he left the impression he would be seen to even greater effect over further and with an attitude that strongly suggested he can pretty much cope with anything thrown in his direction, the game six-year-old should be well suited by the rigours of this race.

Paul Nicholls has had several that have run well here this week without winning, but he looks to have a strong hand here sending both THREEUNDERTHRUFIVE (best price 12-1) and Barbados Bucks to post and although he’s clear second strong according to the layers, it may well be the former comes out on top in that little head-to-head.

Unbeaten so far this term, the rangy six-year-old proved his stamina in no uncertain terms on his latest outing over at Musselburgh, seeing off subsequent winner Fantastikas in a protracted dual all the way up the straight. Clearly appreciating the step up to three miles that day, the son of Shantou clocked a big speed figure into the bargain and even though today’s test offers a completely examination to what he’s been used to up to now, he looks the type who’s ready for a battle.

Based on the saying “If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it is a duck”, the same theory applies to A PLUS TARD (best price 3-1) in this season’s blue riband.

Winner of the competitive Close Brothers Handicap Chase on his first visit to Cheltenham two years ago, Henry De Bromhead’s gelding tried valiantly to maintain his unbeaten record at the track in last year’s Ryanair Chase, only to come up a little short in the latter stages. Beginning this season over two miles, connections then pitched him into the white-hot Saville’s Chase over a full mile further and in what turned out to be a brutal affair, he came through with flying colours. Staying on extremely strongly in the final half a mile, the son of Kapgarde wore down his prey on the climb to the line and on the evidence of that display, it makes you wonder why on earth he’s been running in and around the minimum trip for most of his career. Time figure-wise and on pure form, that race at the Dublin venue works out easily the best race of its kind either side of the Irish Sea this season (both Kemboy and Allaho won since) and hailing from an outfit for whom this meeting has been the stuff of dreams, this popular seven-year-old winning would be the icing on the cake for all concerned.

The trends for this concluding handicaps strongly suggest we are looking towards a lightly-raced novice who has run in Graded races and of those who come from that category, GABYNAKO (best price 6-1) receives a confidence vote to do himself justice.

Although he’s only won once so far this season, he’s been dining at the very top table, and his solid effort when third in the Grade 1 Lawlors Of Naas two months ago looks extremely strong form given the exploits of Bob Olinger and Blue Lord this week. A strong fancy despite dropping back down in trip at Leopardstown last time out, his chances of justifying his position in the market went right out the window after he made a dreadful blunder at the second hurdle and in the end, he could only manage a mid-division return. Sometimes a little keen early on, hopefully Gavin Cromwell’s inmate settles okay in the early stages on this occasion and providing he can come through the most challenging part of the race as far as he is concerned, there’s a decent chance he can be involved in the finish.