Andy Holding's Saturday Racing Tips

WITH THANKS (best price 15-4) really came good towards the backend of the season when the mud was flying and based on the evidence of what we saw of her in an ultra-hot contest at Newbury last time out, William Haggas’ filly could be about to strike it rich again if the forecast rain gets into the ground.

Just touched off by the very smart Onassis in a listed race at Goodwood back in October, the four-year-old went on to make amends in spectacular fashion at Naas next time out, quickening right away from a quality Group 3 gathering on heavy ground. Off for 209-days when returning to action at Haydock in May, the daughter of Camacho shaped as though badly in need of the run behind Kinross and Co and then two months later at Chelmsford an uncharacteristically modest effort was put down to the fast surface. Back from another break and with some ease in the ground at the Berkshire venue 15 days ago, she bounced back to something nearing her best when finishing a creditable fourth against the boys in a keenly-contest listed event dominated by Godolphin but as she performed best of those who raced towards the nearside of the track, her effort deserved upgrading. Although yet to race at today’s venue – which is normally a slight negative – the fact she does like to be dropped in behind the speed goes hand in hand with how most of the straight track winners tend to execute their tactics and with the distinct likelihood of a change in going developing throughout the day, she will be in her element more than most.

MS GANDHI (best price 11-1) was unfortunate to bump into a couple of progressive fillies at Doncaster last time out, but as the time figure of the race hinted, it probably wasn’t a bad effort in the scheme of things, and now dropping back to a trip likely to prove more suitable, Roger Varian’s filly looks set to outrun her double-figure quotes.

A maiden after three runs as a two-year-old, the daughter of Kingman had to wait till her fifth start before finally getting off the and she did so in pretty convincing style, pulling nicely clear in the closing stages of a well-run contest at Ripon two months ago. Stepped up significantly in class last time out on Town Moor, the three-year-old filly raced exuberantly for the first half of the contest and she still was going as well as anything approaching the final three furlongs. Unfortunately, she just couldn’t maintain the strong gallop all the way to the line and in the end she had to settle for a minor role behind Sea La Rosa, who went on to boost the form with a cracking effort in Group company next time. The way she travels through her races lends itself to the theory that 1m2f is likely to prove her optimum in the long term and with a possible change in conditions not set to inconvenience her in any way, morning quotes around the 12-1 seem on the large side.

RIVER NYMPH (best price 11-2) has developed into a real seven-furlong specialist in the last year or so and following another cracking effort in an extremely well-contested listed prize at Newbury last time, Clive Cox’s gelding can maintain his tremendous record over today’s C&D.

Winner of a competitive handicap on his first visit to the Berkshire track last season, the four-year-old colt repeated the dose by capturing the Victoria Cup a year later and with both performances working out extremely well on the speed figures, it’s clear a strongly straight seven-furlongs is the environment where he thrives the most. Proving that point on no uncertain terms last time, his suitability to the specialist trip were underlined with his finishing effort behind some top-class performers a month ago and with the form of that race, plus the one previously at Haydock, looking particularly strong in the context of today’s much easier assignment on paper, it would be something of a surprise if the son of Cable Bay doesn’t have a huge say in the final outcome.

NELL QUICKLY (best price 11-2) has gone from strength-to-strength throughout the season and after proving that she stays 1m4f well at Salisbury last time out, this improving filly could surprise some of the so-called big guns in this premier handicap.

Yet to finish out of the first two in five outings this campaign, Denis Coakley’s filly’s best form has come when there has been a strong pace with some cut in the ground, as she proved in no uncertain terms at Salisbury last time out. Off the back of sound fractions set by the front-running Maytal, the daughter of The Gurkha knuckled down to the task at hand well over three furlongs from home and despite on more than one or two occasions looking as though she wasn’t going to get to the leader, her will to win came through in the dying strides. A game filly who clearly relishes a proper test, today’s examination over a gallop 1m4f on soft ground is likely to play into her strengths and at 11-2, she rates an extremely strong bet in terms of pure value.