Today's Racing Tips from Andy Holding

MICKEY THE STEEL (best price 6-4) is arguably one of the most frustrating horses in training, amazingly still 0-19, but if ever he were to break that unwanted hoodoo, today is surely the day.

Runner-up for the seventh time at The Curragh last time out, he did amazingly well, however, given the task he was set at the halfway stage, and when you add into the bargain the speed figure of the race in question, the son of Hot Streak has to go down as slightly unfortunate. Fourth on his only previous visit to today’s track when not quite seeing out seven-furlongs, a good break from his low draw over his optimum trip should see Joe Murray’s gelding go close to defying top weight.

BANTRY (best price 10-3) hadn’t really shown too much in four starts prior to his latest exploits at Gowran, but such was the level of improvement from John Murphy’s gelding at the Co Kenny venue, he’s well worth an interest to see whether he can continue his progress.

Drawn out in the cheap seats 11 days ago – which is usually curtains over the seven-furlongs trip at the track – the son of Lope De Vega found himself right at the back of the field as the runners developed ahead of him down the side of the course, and he still had plenty on his plate with three furlongs to run. However, he finished off his race to such an effect he passed all but one of his 14 rivals during a late thrust down the outside and it came as no surprise to find his backend sectionals compliment his overall speed figure. Clearly appreciative of a well-run race on decent ground, today’s similar conditions should suit equally as well and providing he gets away quickly from his inside draw, a good early position means he’s likely to big player at the business end.

Recent results in the Derby have very much favoured the layers and with another wide-open-looking renewal on paper, the wisest approach is to search for some value beyond the obvious ones down the front end of the market. Ever since Masar won this race four years ago, Godolphin have really kicked on in all the Classics and of their strong-looking three they send to post this year, WALK OF STARS (best price 16-1) makes the most appeal at the current odds.

Similar to last season’s winner, Adayar, the son of Dubawi arrives here following a narrow-margin defeat in the Lingfield Derby Trial and that’s not where the comparisons end. Tall, rangy with a ton of scope, he left the impression at the Surrey venue he was still very much a work in progress, but at least he’s had the experience of coming down a step gradient at pace and that has to stand him in good stead come his toughest assignment so far to date. Sent to Epsom a couple of weeks ago to get acclimatised with the track, he seemed to handle Tattenham Corner and the camber of the home straight just as well as his two galloping companions, Nahanni and Manobo and with the forecast rain set to inconvenience him less than many others, Charlie Appleby’s colt has enough raw ability to easily outrun his odds.

FORGE VALLEY LAD (best price 2-1) was always likely to blow out at Sandown last time out given his overall record on the turf, but now returning to the scene of some of his most notable performances based on the figures, David Simcock’s gelding has a decent chance of bouncing back to his best.

A good winner at Wolverhampton back in March, the five-year-old has run equally well in two subsequent defeats over today’s track and with both of those two races miles better in terms of strength in depth, a drop back to Class 6 company should be well received. Equally as effective over today’s trip than 1m2f, has all bases covered whichever way today’s race develops.