Thursday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

ALL ABOUT ALICE (best price 6/1) has shown a reasonable level of form on all three visits to today’s track and in a race where nothing particularly stands out on current form, she has a decent chance of making her presence felt.

A comfortable winner over today’s C&D following a break back in August, Martin Smith’s filly hasn’t managed to add to her tally in four subsequent starts, but given there have been one or two mitigating circumstances, it’s probably wise not to cast too many aspersions. Indeed, last time at Lingfield it was clear from a long way out she was never going to get on terms with the main players given how the race panned out over an inadequate trip, so to finish a respectable fourth wasn’t a bad effort in the circumstances.

Back to the scene of her career high performance on the figures, the daughter of Excelebration can reward each-way support.

SEPTEMBER POWER (best price 4/1) shaped a good deal better than the bare result suggested here the other night and a chance is taken on Michael Wigham’s mare getting the trip on her return visit.

Racing over 1m4f against some potentially well-treated fillies, the daughter of Mastercraftsman was spotted going well as the field turned for home, but just as she was about to mount a challenge at the two-furlong pole, she got stopped in her run. Noted keeping on well when her winning chance had gone, she left the impression she might have had a say in the finish and it’s that viewpoint which offers some hope about her chances of making amends.

Dropped down to Class 6 level for the first time in her career and with the cheekpieces retained, the five-year-old has enough quality to make an impact if her stamina holds out.

DIAMOND RANGER (NAP) (best price 15/8) received a brutal trip pretty much throughout the entire 1m2f journey here last time and although it’s by no means a done deal he will turn around the form with Tarbaan, there’s every chance he will make a decent fist of things in trying.

Posted out in stall 9 of 9 at the Essex track 14 days ago, William Buick didn’t know whether to stick or twist in the early stages and that indecision ended up being exacerbated a long way from home. Forced out even wider when the pace quickened in the hottest part of the race rounding the home turn, it was to his great credit he never gave up the ghost despite having wasted valuable energy, so to end up finishing a close-up third is probably as good as he could have done under the circumstances.

In contrast, his old rival had the luxury of saving ground at virtually every point of the race and while it would be dangerous to say he was massively flattered by the result, there was no way he was a three-length better horse than George Boughey’s inmate. With only six runners here this evening hopefully the son of Kodiac won’t suffer the same fate despite being draw out widest of all for the second time and with the cheekpieces on for the first time just to help him keep his focus, he looks poised to put up a bold bid.