Today's Racing Tips from Andy Holding

NINE ELMS (best price 4-1) has been plying his trade mainly on the all-weather in recent times but, as he has run well on all his three starts at today’s track, he might be capable of finally getting off the mark on turf.

Largely consistent without winning for a while, Roy Bowring’s gelding intimated at Wolverhampton last time it might not be too long before he has to wait before popping his head back in front again, and a repeat of the same level of form might just suffice. Heavily involved from the get-go in what turned out to be an extremely strongly run race for the grade, the nine-year-old was ultimately picked off in the end by the well-fancied English Spirit, but when you consider he had to burn up plenty of petrol in the early stages from his wide draw, his effort deserves to be upgraded. Take the winner out of the equation and he beat the rest by a whopping seven lengths and with his performance stemming from that fact he was fitted in blinkers for the first time, there’s every chance he will prove a significant factor here this afternoon with the same headgear in place.

KITSUNE POWER (best price 3-1) left the impression he may be seen to better effect over further than seven furlongs at Newmarket last time out and he receives a confident vote to back up that view hailing from his in-form yard.

An impressive winner first time out at Leicester, Roger Varian’s gelding was a warm order to follow up at HQ next time and although he failed in his bid to justify favouritism, he came out of the race with his reputation still intact. Ironically, ever race up until the last that night, the fields had congregated over on the far side rail, but as it turned out, the runners edge towards the middle of the track for his contest and he ended up being stranded out on the wing. Racing with no cover and nothing to drag him into the business end, he ultimately rowed his own boat for majority of the seven furlongs, so his effort in chasing home the better-positioned winner had to go down as a commendable one.

The draw could have been a little kinder to EARL OF TYRONE (best price 3-1), but other than that slight negative, he has a good bit to recommend and he’s strongly fancied to confirm his hugely impressive victory at Bellewstown last time was a sign of better things to come.

Talented but always considered a bit of an underachiever, the son of Australia was fitted with a first-time tongue-tie 42 days ago and the addition of the new contraption seemed to make all the difference to his end product. Instead of not quite seeing out his race like he’d done on several occasions in the past, Paddy Twomey’s gelding fairly rocketed clear of rivals in the closing stages, so much so, that he ran the last three-furlongs way quicker than the five-furlongs sprinters on the same card. Moreover, his overall time figure was also very good, so it’s just a case of him piecing it altogether again back in handicap company.

Both MARKIEVICZ (best price 14-1) and EVEN FLOW (best price 18-1) ran a good bit better than their finishing positions suggested last time out and at their respective morning odds, they are worth playing against the field.

The former ran well against a heavy stands side track bias here two starts ago and last time out things just didn’t pan out for Sheila Lavery’s inmate in a similar contest at Navan. Noted doing some good late work once meeting the rising ground and out of trouble, the son of Dandy Man hit the line hard to finish just behind the main action and providing tonight’s draw turns out to be favourable - which can vary from meeting to meeting at the Co Kildare venue – he has enough quality at this level to make an impact.

The latter went a little unnoticed in a mile handicap at Leopardstown, due to the fact he spent the entire home straight running the backside of horses dropping back in his lap, but given that he finished off his race full of running, there’s hope he’ll feature a little more prominently on a more conventional straight track this evening. Although only ninth of 22 on his latest start at the Co Kildare venue last season, he did lead the field a merry dance from a bad draw and given that he finished within hailing distance of horses such as Heavenly Power, Swift Flight and Mickey The Steel, who are all rated in the mid-to-high 70’s, he may just prove to be more than a dangerous floater off his mark of 66.