Andy Holding's Saturday Racing Tips

ROMANTIC PROPOSAL (best price 3-1) has featured prominently against two of the best Irish sprinters so far this season and having run a whole pile of solid races over today’s course in the past, Edward Lynam’s mare looks booked to go well again in what appears a wide-open curtain raiser on Derby Day.

Third behind the massively-improved Logo Hunter on her seasonal debut, the daughter of Raven’s Pass had her attentions shifted back to her favourite venue over today’s C&D last time and having travelled well throughout, she ended up forcing the top-class mare Sonaiyla pull out all the stops. Likely to be somewhere close to her best after those initial two runs based on her previous profile (all three career wins from July onwards) returns to the scene of where most of her best performances have taken place and with conditions – just on the easy side of good – also ideal, a big run is expected from the five-year-old mare.

DR ZEMPF (best price 3-1) created a huge impression both visually and on the clock when making a sparkling winning debut over today’s C&D earlier in the month and with connections having resisted the temptation to send him over the Irish Sea to contest the Coventry Stakes, hopefully the policy to stay on home soil will be rewarded in the best possible fashion.

Well-backed to make a winning debut despite being up against previously impressive winner Elliptic, Ger Lyons’ colt was always moving like he was going to justify his position in the market and once given the office inside the final furlong, he came readily clear of a useful field. In doing so, the son of Dark Angel posted a very smart set of backend sectionals to compliment his decent overall figure and with the strong possibility of even more to come, it would be disappointing if this 420,000gns purchase is vying for top honours.

ZUMURUD (best price 8-1) has been in pretty consistent form since joining new connections and following another solid display in a competitive affair at York last time out, the six-year-old grey is fancied to go well again and reward each-way support.

Winner of a competitive Catterick handicap three starts ago, the son of Zebedee has gone close to adding to that tally since and if it wasn’t for meeting interference on more than one occasion at York last time out, he may have collected the main prize. Almost pushed through the rails early and then running into a wall of horses at the two-furlong pole on the Knavesmire, it was good to see him rally to the cause and finish off his race with plenty of purpose and with both today’s ground and trip seen as ideal, Mark Walford’s inmate makes plenty of each-way appeal.

ARCADIAN SUNRISE (NAP) (best price 5-2) missed out on heading over the Irish Sea to contest the Ascot Stakes at the Royal meeting just over a week ago, but as a result, ample compensation awaits Declan Queally’s gelding in this much weaker-looking affair.

Having only had the three starts on the Flat, it’s difficult to know with any degree of accuracy whether his opening mark of 89 is lenient or not, but taking in account his recent form over hurdles, there’s every chance he should turn out to be competitive in staying handicaps at the very least. Shaping well despite looking as though the run would do him good on his first outing for 181 days at Punchestown back in April, the seven-year-old was well supported to take advantage of a drop in grade on his return to the Co Kildare venue next time and as it turned out the money in his direction proved to be stop on. Arriving in between the final two flights going easily, the son of Arcadio found a smart turn of foot to pull readily clear of his 13 rivals and in doing so, he clocked a very smart speed figure. Now rated 136 over hurdles, he looks just the type who could do some damage in the Galway Hurdle off that mark, but before then, races such as today’s are seen as decent opportunities along the way.