Thursday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

FAIRFIELD FERRATA (best price 7/1), other than one bad mistake that cost her dear at Southwell two starts ago, has been pretty good since switching to fences and, having been saved especially for today’s race since winning a qualifier at Uttoxeter back in January, the well-orchestrated plan can be executed.

A useful 112-rated hurdler, the daughter of Kayf Tara has taken her game to a different level under her new discipline and, her latest effort in slamming the smart Fortunes Melody at the Midland venue was easily a career high in terms of pure form and speed figures.

Good also visually and on the clock when defeating the 120-rated Dazzling Glory at Fakenham earlier in the campaign, the feature of both performances is that they came on good ground, so with conditions today an ideal platform for her to run to her best, she rates a bigger player than her position in the market suggests.

EHRAZ (best price 6/1) shaped with a decent amount of encouragement for the rest of the season when a creditable third to Vadream on his first outing for 155 days at Doncaster last time out and with the benefit of a run and experience of today’s C&D seen as two positive factors in his favour, he rates a strong each-way alternative to the favourite, Creative Force.

Gelded over the Winter despite ending last season on a high with a pleasant Autumnal stroll over the Rowley Mile, Richard Hannon’s inmate was pitched up against some useful sprinters in what appeared a decent renewal of the Cammidge Trophy on Town Moor and although he ended up getting beaten fair and square by Charlie Fellows’ mare, the data suggested he’d easily usurped his previous career high.

In what turned out to be an incredibly strongly run affair given the conditions, the son of Showcasing did about as well as could be expected and considering he raced quite freely from his poor draw in the early stages, his effort deserved extra merit.

Keeping on well all the way to the line, he only just lost out to the smart Fast Response in a battle for the silver medal and with that initial likely to have brought him on a ton, today’s better ground will hopefully see him in an even better light.

CIRCUS ACT (best price 22/1) got rather bogged down on the testing ground at Downpatrick last time out, but now reverting back to a surface that allowed her to run close to a career high against the smart Ballygeary at Doncaster previously, James Nash’s mare can easily outstrip her morning odds.

Still going well enough at the top of the hill at the Co Down venue, it soon became apparent the final part of the race was going to be a struggle and although she did her level best to keep plugging away, the combination of the extra distance (2m3f) and gluey ground did for her in the end.

Much better judged on her run before and her sole victory over hurdles at Hereford, today’s quicker conditions should allow her lack of scope compare to some of the rest not to be the defining issue.

AUGUST (best price 8/1) left the impression he was a good deal better than his finishing position suggested on his debut at Kempton last November and hailing from a yard just beginning to start to tick along in the right direction after a slow start, John & Thady Gosden’s colt is fancied to be a more potent threat this time around.

Well-supported to make a big impact at the Sunbury venue, the son of Almanzor got away to the worst possibile start that immediately put him on the back foot and it was a position from which he never truly recovered. He did, however, catch the eye with the way he finished off his race and considering he also got anything but a smooth passage inside the final two furlongs, his effort deserved extra praise.

The type to do really well as a three-year-old, there’s a fair chance this Derby entry can start the ball rolling today.

TIMELESS PIECE (NAP) (best price 4/1) has failed to trouble the judge on both her two starts so far this season but, having strongly hinted that she could be a good bit better than the bare facts suggest, Jessica Harrington’s filly makes plenty of appeal off what looks a generous opening mark on handicap debut.

Ultimately well beaten by the draw on her seasonal bow at The Curragh, the three-year-old was sent to a similar contest at Cork last time out in a bid to fare a little better and although her finishing position doesn’t suggest she improved her stock, her performance was a good deal more promising.

Held up towards the rear, the daughter of Saxon Warrior didn’t appear to be going anywhere fast until picking up really takingly inside the final two furlongs and by the time she’d hit the line, she was gathering up a nice head of steam. Based on that effort at the Mallow venue, she looks for all the world like she will require further to be fully effective and with today’s trip and ground seen as much more beneficial towards her cause, it would come as a major surprise if she isn’t a big factor off a rating of just 63.