Friday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

LOVE ACTUALLY (best price 5/2) produced a smart effort both visually and on the clock when scoring at Taunton two months ago and with today’s conditions not far off what they were at the West Country venue, Keiran Burke’s mare is confidently expected to make a bold fist of staying unbeaten over fences. 

A dual winner over hurdles but without setting the world alight, the daughter of Shirocco was given the opportunity to see how she would cope with the larger obstacles 42 days ago and on the evidence of her opening gambit, you’d have to say it was a shrewd move by connections. 

In what turned out to be a well-run novices’ handicap, the eight-year-old not only impressed with how she travelled throughout the 2m7f journey, but how her jumping also stood the test. 

Seeing that sort of trip out for the first time now opens up plenty of options for her further down the line and her prominent run style – synonymous with many previous winners over today’s chase course – should see her put up another bold bid here this afternoon. 

CONQUEREDALOFEUROPE (best price 6/1) has packaged together a decent series of placed efforts since joining current connections and with today’s test more likely than not to play into his strengths, Donald McCain’s gelding can strike for a handler who very leaves his local gaff empty handed. 

Although well fancied at Catterick last time out, it was always likely that the son of Presenting would struggle to cope with the classier Git Maker around the sharp turns of the Yorkshire venue and so it proved, as he kept on at one pace to finish an honourable second. 

Prior to that respectable effort, he did find the 3m4f journey on bottomless Winter ground not quite an ideal combination in a competitive renewal of Last Fling Handicap at Haydock, but he still managed to finish the exam paper and in doing so, he took some notable scalps who were either miles behind or pulled up. 

Without any rain for a least two weeks in the North Wales area, today’s conditions should see the eight-year-old far more effective at today’s trip and with an attitude to suggest he will keep galloping until the landlord rings for time, he’s confidently expected to fill the frame at the very least.

BIG NARSTIE (NAP) (best price 7/4) shaped with a good deal more promise than the bare result suggested over today’s C&D last time out and having been rather kindly dropped in the interim by the handicapper, Michael Appleby’s gelding has been handed a golden opportunity to capitalise on an ease in grade. 

Having not shown a great deal on his first two starts for new connections, the son of Cable Bay’s task in a competitive Class 4 handicap was further intensified by him being dropped right out the back door from his wide draw, a position from where he was always going to struggle.

However, despite being set a pretty stiff task, the five-year-old caught the eye with the way he finished off his race and considering he did most of his late work without being subject to an overly hard ride, his performance was very much notebook-worthy. 

Now in much calmer waters of a Class 5 affair not bursting at the seams with horses who have run faster than him on the clock, it would have to go down as a big anti-climax if her wasn’t bang there when the medals are being dished out. 

INFLECTION POINT (best price 4/1) had to count himself seriously unlucky to bump into such a tough customer as Tosen Wish her last week, but with the data pointing towards John McConnell’s gelding running to a career high level despite the defeat, he’s fancied to gain compensation on his return visit. 

Tracking the (suicidal) pace set by J J Jumbo last week, the son of Invincible Spirit turned for home in a seemingly better position than others, but as it turned out, he couldn’t quite raise his game to another level when the eventual winner loomed up and went by him inside the final furlong.

That said, he still managed to see off all the other who were given more patient rides, including the like of in-form pair, Hodd’s Girl and Hightimeyouwon, and with today’s drop back in trip seen as a positive step, a decent break from his favourable draw should see the seven-year-old take advantage of the likely favourable pace set by either Catherine Of Siena or Tai Sing Yeh (depends of which gets the front first).