Friday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

GREATGADIAN (best price 7/2) is better known for his exploits on the all-weather (3-3), but he has run some commendable races on the turf and following one of his more credible efforts over today’s course last time out, confidence is high Roger Varian’s gelding alter his current ratios.

A winner of two small-field handicaps at Chelmsford earlier in the campaign, the son of Siyouni didn’t fare too badly on his first visit to today’s venue when 11th of 29 in the Royal Hunt Cup and he went on to better that effort by finishing third in a competitive mile event on Shergar Cup day 27 days ago. Good on the numbers that day, the form was nicely boosted when Shelir went on to land the Ripon Rowels last weekend and with today’s small field likely to suit based on his overall profile (all four wins come when there’s been less than 10 runners), the four-year-old looks sure to be involved given a nice, patient ride.

SOUND OF IONA (best price 11/4) has been pretty industrious of late but, based on the evidence of her run at Windsor last night, she seems to be holding her form together quite nicely and with today’s contest representing a welcome ease in grade, Jim Goldie’s mare is fancied to be rewarded for a string of solid placed efforts.

Yet to underperform in her last nine starts, back-to-backed creditable runs at York’s Ebor meeting were followed with another sterling performance 24 ours ago and it was only in the dying strides that the daughter of Orientor succumbed to the well-treated three-year-old, Lir Speciale. Just as effective from the minimum trip to seven-furlongs, the stiff nature of today’s track should really suit this consistent six-year-old and from a potentially favourable draw towards the nearside rail, she should be right in the thick of the action at the death.

Similar to the UK version of this marathon contest, horses from a National Hunt background seem to hold the key to the outcome and, of those in that category, SHEISHYBRID (best price 7/2) makes the most appeal.

First and foremost, Noel Meade’s filly arrives here in terrific heart, winning her two last starts over hurdles, and to add to the list of positives, she’s also proven over today’s stiff course, having landed a competitive handicap at the Co Down track just over a year ago. In between her exploits over hurdles, she’s also been plying her trade to a decent standard on the Flat and in finishing a creditable runner-up to the useful Gibraltar at Tramore recently, she readily pulled clear of tonight’s surprising favourite, Dark Voyager. Clearly a stronger stayer than Willie Mullins’ gelding on that evidence, it was also stamina that gained the day over a competitive field at Ballinrobe when last seen and with tonight’s test likely to prove right up her street, it’s hard to see her not having a huge say in the final outcome.

Of the rest, Rich Belief can easily be excused his below-par run at Killarney last time out on account of rain-softened ground and some of his previous efforts on a better surface, both on the Flat and over hurdles give him a decent chance of being competitive if it stays dry.

MERCIAN HYMM (best price 7/2) ran about as well as could be expected for a horse 0-6 on turf at Windsor last time out, but it’s a totally different story where his record on the all-weather is concerned and a return to one of his favourite venues looks sure to bring an added spring to the step of Sir Mark Todd’s gelding.

The son of Siyouni first sprung to prominence when upped significantly in trip at Wolverhampton last season and he duly followed up several weeks later by running out an equally impressive winner over tonight’s C&D. Surprisingly yet to venture back to a synthetic surface since despite his overall profile suggesting otherwise, the four-year-old shaped perfectly well after a 50-day break at the Berkshire venue last time out and with that outing likely to have served the purpose of getting him cherry-ripe for future endeavours, he rates a reasonable play at the morning odds.