Saturday's Racing Tips From Andy Holding

ALFLAILA (best price 3/1), admittedly, does have a bit to find with Mighty Ulysses on their Newmarket clash a month ago, but since then, Owen Burrows’ colt has improved sufficiently enough that he might be capable of bridging the gap with his old rival over a trip and track that should play into his strengths. 

Unlucky not to make his presence felt in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot due to constant interference, the son of Dark Angel made a bid to gain compensation at the HQ next time out and although he got beaten fair and square by the winner that day, he also left the impression he still had plenty left to offer as the rest of the season progresses. Sent to Pontefract last time out to tackle a bunch of older horses that included the likes of Modern News and Astro King, the only three-year-old in the race proved way too good for his elders and in quickening up smartly at the backend of a well-run affair at the Yorkshire venue, he ended up posting a decent speed figure. The way he hit the line in seeing out the stiff mile 27 days ago offers plenty of hope that he will get further going forward and with today’s track suitable for horses that have the inclination to grind out a result rather than be all flashy, Alflaila has more than a puncher’s chance of gaining revenge on his old foe. 

DARK VEGA (best price 13/2) has been slightly disappointing in some respects since winning in tidy fashion here on debut last season but, having left the impression on more than one occasion that she might require beyond 1m2f to be seen to best advantage, Jessica Harrington’s filly is quietly fancied to back up that view on her return to the Co Kildare venue. 

Her last two starts, in particular, she has been doing all her best work at the end at tracks where it often pays to be ridden a little handier, so it might well be that a return to a more galloping circuit will aid her cause. Either way, this sort of handicap is a far cry from beating the top class Boundless Ocean at the Co Kildare venue last season and there has to be hope that she can recapture that sort of form sooner rather than later.

It’s been a while now since Peter Chapple-Hyam had a two-year-old worthy of their place in a pattern contest, but in the shape of DEFENCE OF FORT (NAP) (best price 9/2), the dual Derby winning trainer has a juvenile who can easily justify his position in today’s field. 

Picked up for just 19k at the Tattersalls Ireland Sale last September, the son of Starspangledbanner didn’t make his debut until last month, but given the impact he made at Ascot, the wait was well worth it. Not totally unfancied by any means, the flashy chestnut impressed with the way he conducted himself through the first part of the race and then once unleashed with his winning bid over a furlong out, he found a ready response to pull right way in the closing stages. Clocking a big number for a juvenile, it was good to see the form franked by the fourth-placed horse that day, Kyneema, at York this week, and having missed his own engagement on the Knavesmire to come here for what should be a stiffer examination, this rangy colt looks massively overpriced to flaw several bigger reputations. 

As you’d expect for the money on offer, an ultra-competitive renewal of one of the most sought-after prizes in the calendar and of the 22 set to go to post who have solid course form to call on, GAASSEE (best price 8/1) and ALFRED BOUCHER (best price 12/1) make the most appeal at the morning odds.

Despite having a great record at today’s track, William Haggas has yet to capture this 1m6f contest, but in the shape of the former, the Newmarket handler has a decent chance of ending his hoodoo. Well-backed to take full advantage of a mark of 94 on his first outing of the season, the classy-looking three-year-old duly obliged on his first visit to the Knavesmire and even though he failed in his bid to defy a raise in the ratings at Haydock when last seen, he left the distinct impression it may well have been a different story had he had a smoother passage down the straight. Unlike the Merseyside venue when it can get a little tight for room in a big field, today’s wide open expanses shouldn’t offer too many excuses on that front and with the extra two furlongs he encounters on his return to the Knavesmire seen as a big plus, this progressive and unexposed type is likely to prove a big player when the curtain calls.

The latter hasn’t had the architype preparation normally associated with many previous winners of this race, but such was the ease of his victory here on the opening day of the meeting, Ian Williams’ gelding is a must for the shortlist.

Having proved he stayed two miles well at Chester earlier in the season, the six-year-old grey was a warm order to confirm his qualities as a stayer on his second visit to the Knavesmire (had run well over a mile back in 2020) and for those who took part in one of the gambles on day one, he didn’t offer too many anxious moments. Well in rear turning for home, the son of Aussie rules cruised into contention at the two-furlong pole and from that point onwards it just became an exercise in game management by William Buick to keep the winning margin down to a minimum. How much that effort has taken out of him, only time will tell, but on the positive side of things, he’s a horse clearly in terrific heart who stays well and loves today’s track, so he’s worth a roll of the dice in his bid to pull off an audacious double. 

There’s no denying Meditate sets the standard here courtesy of her game victory in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot, but she makes little appeal to the common man in the street at her morning odds, so the recommendation is to play her less-vaunted stable mate MAYBE JUST MAYBE (best price 7/2) as a better value option in the ‘without the favourite’ market.  

After showing disappointingly little on her debut at Leopardstown a month ago, it was easy to see why Aidan O’Brien’s filly was one of the outsiders when returning to the Dublin track next time out, even more so being up against her strongly-fancied stable companion, Library. However, in what turned out to be a particularly strongly-run race of its kind, the daughter of Lord Kanaloa managed to gun down her well-touted counterpart inside the final furlong and in stopping the clock in a very smart speed figure, she raised her game to a completely higher level. Entered in all the big fillies’ Group races towards the end of the season, today’s contest can prove to be a stepping stone to even greater things further down the line. 

AJERO (best price 5/1) finally gained his due rewards for a series of frustrating placed efforts at Goodwood last time out and with that coming-of-age performance rubber-stamped by a fast time figure, confidence is high Kim Bailey’s gelding can continue his progression towards The Cambridgeshire in a month’s time. 

Runner-up on his previous four starts, including in the Duke Of Edinburgh Handicap over 1m4f, the son of Red Jazz was brought back in trip to see whether a different approach worked the trick and as it turned out, being given a more patient ride over 1m1f proved to be an inspired decision. A strong traveller who has all the right attributes for these big field handicaps and a previous outing over today’s C&D to boot, the improving four-year-old makes plenty of appeal from an each-way perspective.

SPIRIT DANCER (best price 5/1) arrives here full of confidence following a smooth success over today’s C&D and with that effort going a long way to supplement his previous effort in the white-hot John Smith’s Handicap at the previous meeting, Richard Fahey’s gelding gains the confident vote to prove that he comes here with the best form in the field. 

Although only fourth on his penultimate start, that valuable handicap on the Knavesmire a month ago has not only seen the winner, Anmaat, go on to destroy a field of top-quality horses at Group 3 level, the likes of Achelois, Certain Lad, What’s The Story, Forest Falcon, Brilliant Light and Marie’s Diamond have all gone on to boost the form since. It was no surprise, therefore, to see the son of Frankel do his own bit for the race’s profile on his return visit two weeks later and with him being one of only a few in today’s line-up guaranteed to handle both track and trip, it’s almost inconceivable to think that he won’t have a large say in the final outcome.