Saturday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

A race that Aidan O’Brien has won twice in the four years since its inauguration and the Master of Ballydolye looks to have a fine chance of adding to that tally with the potentially smart LIBRARY (best price 4/1).

Placed on her first two starts, secondly over today’s C&D, the daughter of Galileo seeked the solace of a slightly weaker affair on paper at Tipperary last time out and, having jumped well from the gates to lead early, she only had to be nudged out hands and heels in the closing stages to record a comfortable success. Beautifully bred with the ability to match, an attacking ride from stall one can see this middle-distance prospect for next year end her first season on a high. 

The first of the tough-to-solve handicaps on the card, but there’s a decent chance the CURRENT OPTION (best price 11/1) can supplement his recent Galway gains despite the steadier of top weight. 

A creditable fourth in the BMW Mile on the second day of seven at Ballybrit, connections decided to roll the dice in the ‘Ahonoora’ Handicap on the concluding day over a furlong shorter and this time, from a slightly better draw, Ado McGuinness’ gelding was able to scoop the big pot. The feature of the performance 41 days ago was the way he travelled in the rain-softened ground and with conditions here today likely to be something similar, the six-year-old can stamp his class on proceedings. 

SERIOUS CHALLENGE (best price 6/1) may have only landed a maiden last time out but he did so in a useful speed figure, and with Jim Bolger’s colt also proven he has the ability to handle soft ground, he makes quite a bit of appeal at the morning odds. 

A promising third behind two useful juveniles on his debut at Galway, the son of Fracas was sent back to the same C&D just five days later to see if he could put his experience to good use and true to form, the knowledge he gained unsurprisingly stood him in good stead. Game when he needed to be in the closing stages, he had enough left in the locker to repel the persistent challenge of the well-touted Hiawatha and with the pair well clear of the rest, the form looked solid. Indeed, the runner-up has since gone on to endorse the race with a win herself next time and with his time figures also coming out very favourable against some of the better fancied horses here this afternoon, his underestimation in the market can be exploited. 

Some horses simply grow an extra leg when encountering soft ground and, with RAADOBARG (best price 13/2) most certainly one in that category, the four-year-old can prove that he’s up to this level when conditions are in his favour. 

Johnny Murtagh’s gelding first sprung to prominence when capturing the Irish Lincoln earlier in the season and he went on to prove that victory was no fluke by beating a decent field in a conditions event at Tipperary. Importantly, the ground was testing on both occasions and that’s been his issue on his most recent outings. Although not totally disgraced by any means, the son of Night Of Thunder has been nowhere near as effective on fast, summer ground, but now returning to a surface that will be welcomed with open arms, he’s fully entitled to the utmost respect. 

A real poser for punters to conclude the card, but for the masochists amongst us, NUSRET (best price 16/1) might just be the answer to our prayers on ground that should suit (runner-up to the smart Irish Lullaby at Sligo on soft). 

A model of consistent all season without winning, Joseph O’Brien’s colt finally got off the mark when capturing a well-contested maiden at the Curragh two starts ago and from then, he was pitched in the deep end of the Melrose Handicap at York last time. In what turned out to be a very strongly-run affair – much quicker than the Ebor over the same C&D – the son of Golden Horn came up a little short on his toughest assignment to date, but at the same time, he didn’t shape too badly against a field that clearly contained some potentially top class three-year-olds. The winner, Soulcombe, could turn out to be Cup horse of the future, while Inverness and Adjuvant, both went on to boost the value of the form by finishing first and fifth respectively in a similar heat at Haydock last weekend. Dropped in the ratings despite his decent effort, one of only four from his generation to be represented in this contest looks to have a better chance than his odds suggest, and judged by his trainer’s comments after his win at the Co Kildare venue back in July, this race has always been the plan.