Saturday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

MUTAANY (best price 6/1) just found the combination of a well-handicapped horse and softer ground than ideal after a break catching him out at Nottingham on his seasonal bow, but with that all-important run under his belt, Charlie Hills’ gelding is fancied to maintain his consistent profile.

Well-backed to overcome a 201-day absence at the Midland track, everything seemed to be going according to plan at the halfway stage but no sooner had he looked like the likely winner, along came Thunderbear to completely spoil the party.

The instant reacted was one of disappointment for connections, but when you analyse the data, the numbers reveal he ran to a career high in defeat and now back on a surface more compliant with his pedigree, a big run will hopefully be forthcoming.

OLD SMOKE (best price 28/1), like many of his rivals here today, is a three-year-old improving with each run and, having shaped like he will be seen in an even better light over further than a mile at Thirsk last time out, Richard Fahey’s charge can make the long trek down south worthwhile.

Placed on his first three starts since joining the ranks in February, the Caravaggio gelding looked to have been presented with a golden opportunity to finally shed his maiden tag at the Yorkshire venue last month and despite having to be made to work harder than his odds implied, he duly obliged. The likeable aspect to that performance was the way he dug deep in the closing stages to get the better of the persistent challenge of Abu Royal and the way he hit the line suggested he is crying out for an even stiffer test.

Decent on the clock that day, the data from his previous second to Freedom Day was better and with good draw to work from, the lightly raced grey can outrun his odds.

BELLA BLISS (best price 7/2) came out on top in what was an above-average contest for the grade at Down Royal last time out and a performance of a similar standard should see John McConnell’s mare right in the thick end of the action again.

Good enough to show sufficient pace to keep tabs with the useful Bingoo over the minimum trip at Hexham previously, connections took a bold approach by stepping up the daughter of Getaway a full mile at the Co down track 19 days ago and as things turned out, the move proved to be an inspired one.

Ridden just off the speed set by Lieutenant Highway, she loomed up going well on the run down to the second last and from that juncture, she stayed on best of all to record a convincing two and a half-length success.

Good on the eye, it is also worth pointing out she ran the best furlong-per-furlong time and final circuit splits combined and with today’s test seemingly no greater on paper, the in-form mare rates a solid choice at the morning odds.

UNIVERSAL FOLLY (NAP) (best price 7/2) ran well under the circumstances in a hot Class 3 event at Perth last time out and now down in grade over a trip that is likely to see him in an even better light, Nicky Richards’ gelding can make the long trip down south a worthwhile one.

Despite there only being six runners at the Scottish venue, Fusian ensured there was no hiding place from the start and having understandably found himself outpaced leaving the back straight, he stayed on strongly in the latter stages to finish a never-nearer runner-up to the useful Grey Skies.

Looking at the numbers from that race three weeks ago, not only was the overall speed figure good, but the final circuit time was over two seconds quicker than the 124-rated two-mile chase winner Corrigeen Rock. A winner at Market Rasen previously over 2m7f, a return to a similar distance here today should see the eight-year-old stamp his authority in a race of this nature and he receives a confident vote to do so.

OUTBREAK (best price 8/1) scored in taking fashion at Newmarket last time out and with Charlie Johnston’s inmate far from fully exposed on turf, he can prove just as effective in today’s higher grade.

Having been well beaten on softish ground over the Rowley Mile the time before, there was a chance he might perform better on a quicker surface on his return visit but even allowing for a certain degree of improvement, what was to come must have caught even his staunchest supporters off guard.

Always travelling strongly throughout, the son of Dark Angel looked like he had just joined in at the two-furlong pole and despite drifting over to the far side rail, he had enough in hand to repel the late rally of his nearest pursuer.

Clearly in the rudest of health on the evidence of that display, today’s drying ground should be right up his street and at the morning odds he makes far more sense than Kingdom Come, who has to prove he is equally effective beyond six furlongs.

KING’S CROWN (best price 8/1) must be given a great deal of credit lasting out for as long as he did on his seasonal debut at Newmarket and with the figures from that hot contest 30 days suggesting he was tackling a fair standard of opponent to boot; Adrian Nicholls’ inmate might have a better chance of atoning for his defeat than his morning odds would have you believe.

Hitting the gates well, the three-year-old found himself to the fore during the early exchanges, but so too did Ferrous, and that meant the pair rather eye-balled each other for the thick end of four furlongs. Unsurprisingly, given the unsustainable fractions he set with his duelling rival, he ended being a busted flush once meeting the rising ground, and he eventually succumbed to four deep closers who were ridden with much more patience.

That said, he kept on well enough to finish an honourable fifth and considering two of the quartet who flashed passed him late on the Rowley Mile have gone on to boost the form since (Shouldvebeenaring and Yacowlef), his effort in defeat reads well in the context of today’s race.

Taken out at Chester last week on account of the rain-softened ground, today’s conditions should hold no fears and with another positive ride, he is likely to hang around a little longer than he did at Newmarket on this easier track.