Andy Holding's Friday Racing Tips

Knowing connections of ART APPROVAL (best price 5-1), no doubt this race would have been firmly in their sights for some time and with his comeback run going about as swimmingly as desired, Fergal O’Brien’s gelding rates a strong choice to execute the plan and keep the fine run of his trainer going in the right direction. 

Runner up to the useful Faivoir over today’s course last season, the son of Authorized caught the eye with the way he finished off his race after a bad mistake three out in a competitive handicap over the same C&D a month later and based on that performance, the decision was made to step him up in trip. Quickly bearing fruit from that move, the five-year-old rewarded connections with victories at Market Rasen and Exeter and after the latter of those efforts, he was put away for the season with a view to coming back and exploiting a handicap mark of 121. Having his first outing for 199 days here at the Showcase meeting, he stayed on nicely to finish fourth in what turned out to be an extremely well-run race of its type, that initial effort should just about put him spot on for his return to Prestbury Park. Racing off 118 taking into account of his rider’s claim, he also has the services of a conditional who arrives here with bags of confidence (4-11 in the last week) and with conditions ideal for this lightly-raced type, a big run looks on the cards. 

NOVA LEGEND (best price 5-1) shaped with plenty of promise on his debut in a warm maiden at Nottingham last month and with just normal improvement, Hugo Palmer’s colt is expected to make an even bigger impact second time around over a trip that should suit. 

Sent off 28-1 at the Midland venue, there clearly wasn’t too much expectation surrounding his chance of making a winning beginning and even though that viewpoint came to fruition to a certain degree, he still ended up running much better than anticipated. In midfield turning for home, the son of Galileo came under pressure over three furlongs out but there was a lot to like about the way he kept finding plenty for minimal driving and he was never any stronger than when he hit the line. On the evidence of that effort, you’d like to think he would have the measure of his old rival, Clear Day, with that initial run under his belt and hailing from a sire who does particularly well on the all-weather surfaces, this promising type rates a decent each-way proposition at the morning odds. 

OFF YOUR ROCCO (NAP) (best price 11-4) faces no easy task up against strong home-based favourite, Gelino Bello, but at the same time, he does bring pretty solid Irish novice form into the party and this honest galloping type looks sure to put up a bold show whatever the eventual outcome. 

Disappointing at the Galway festival, Gordon Elliott’s gelding was equipped with the cheekpieces for the first time at Listowel on his next start and having travelled much sweeter for the application of the headgear, he ended up being quite impressive with the way he quickened away from what appeared a good yardstick in the shape of previous easy Cork winner Farout. Time-wise, the race at the Co Kerry venue was very good for the grade and on the back of that solid effort, he was a warm order to follow up over five-furlongs further at Limerick.

Under totally different ground conditions, the son of Shirocco was a little more workmanlike than spectacular but equivalent to a top-flight football team winning 1-0 in ugly fashion, it was all about getting the job done and moving on. Back on better ground and facing the more conventional hurdles here this afternoon (was a little sticky over the brush hurdles last time), the five-year-old should provide the favourite all the trouble he can handle if he shows the same sort of display he did back in September.

A wide-open renewal of this novices’ handicap but both BRORSON (best price 17-2) and MANINSANE (best price 14-1) bring enough solid form and promise to the table that they are worth playing against the field. 

The former shaped well in a hot novices’ hurdle at Bangor on his seasonal return (fourth won easily since) and he went on to produce an even better effort last time out when chasing home the useful Irish raider, Top Bandit, over today’s C&D a month ago. After getting a little outpaced approaching the last, it was encouraging to see martin Keighley’s gelding stay on in-game fashion up the hill and hailing from a stable who are running at a tidy strike rate at present, this lightly-raced five-year-old has all the right credentials to run a big race.

The latter also comes from an in-form team and similarly to the former selection, the form of his Market Rasen last time out is beginning to take shape. The horse who finished a well-beaten third at the Lincolnshire venue scored in tidy fashion at Taunton yesterday and considering this son of Salutino brushed him aside fairly easily, his opening handicap mark of 117 may underestimate his true worth. Additionally, he shapes as though a truly-run two miles on good ground suits him best and with many firms offering generous place terms on this final event, he makes plenty of appeal from an each-way stance. 

The last two performances of FRYERNS (best price 7-1) have to be commended considered she’s totally blown the start on each occasion, but despite the possibility of her doing exactly the same thing again, she still comes out well enough on the figures to suggest she should nonetheless be a player in the final analysis. 

For one reason or another, Thomas Coyle’s filly has taken to fly-jumping in the air as the stalls open which is a little strange because that certainly hasn’t always been the case. It was only a year ago, for instance, when she broke cleanly, travelled sweet as a nut and readily brushed aside a similar field to the one she faces tonight, so it is hoped that she can at least give herself half a chance of repeating the dose here this evening. Even if she does find herself behind at halfway, she’s certainly by no means dead in the water as she’s proved on her last two starts, she’s more than capable of coming from some way off the pace to pick up the pieces late on.