Thursday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

GREENROAD (best price 11/2) is by some way the most exposed of today’s field, but on the flipside, she does have a useful speed figure next to her name over the C&D, thanks to her all-the-way success last time, and at the morning odds she has to rate the value play. 

Placed on each of her first five outings, Brian Ellison’s was sent off quite a warm favourite to put her experience to good use here last time out and true to form, she upheld her position in the market. Setting off at a decent gallop from the outset, she soon had her rivals in trouble and in a maintaining the strong tempo all the way to the line, her four-length success was rewarded with a smart time figure.

Probably not as scopey as some of her opponents here this afternoon, she does, however, have an attitude that compensates for her lack of stature and with a good break from the outside gate likely to give her a platform from which to work with, the daughter of Camacho can make a mockery of her rating in comparison to some others. 

SEMBLANCE OF ORDER (best price 7/2) was a massive eye-catcher on his debut at Fairyhouse two months ago and with the promise of a good deal more to come after a consolidating break, Andrew Oliver’s colt looks set to be much more of a factor second time around. 

A little on the playful side in the preliminaries 62 days ago, the son of Buratino clearly didn’t have his mind fully focused on the task at hand in the early stages at the Co Meath venue, but once he’d shaken off his malaise, his work in the backend of the contest was more of a snapshot of his capabilities.

Coming home to good effect down the outside of the course, he ended up finishing on the coat tails of the main players without being subject to a hard ride and with today’s extra yardage and more galloping track highly likely to suit better, this well-built juvenile can justify his position in the market. 

NEANDRA (NAP) (best price 11/4) did quite a bit wrong here last time yet managed to run out an easy winner and with today’s contest likely to be more suitable in terms of getting plenty of cover, Andrew Balding’s filly is strongly fancied to maintain her unbeaten track record.

Despite a very strong gallop set from the outset by the front-running Mashkuur, the daughter of Jukebox Jury spent the first half a mile of the contest fighting for her head, so the fact she still had the energy left in the tank to pull as far clear as she did in the closing stages in testimony to her ability and resources.

Unsurprisingly clocking a big number that day, she will probably need to settle better in order to duplicate that sort of performance against today’s standard of opponent, but with several front runners in the field, including main market rival Storm Castle to shoot at, the improving three-year-old should at least have the race run to suit from her favourable ground-saving draw around the inside.