Andy Holding is back with three tips for today's action, with runners at Doncaster, Newmarket and Chester including a NAP at Newmarket.
15:55 Doncaster
CASSY O (best price 8/1) blew any chance he might have had with a slow start at Haydock last time out but providing he can break on terms this time around, Tim Easterby’s gelding has enough decent back numbers to go better than his odds suggest.
Once he found himself in the position he was after a furlong at the Merseyside venue, life was always going to be tough for the six-year-old, but he did keep on well enough in the latter stages to suggest he still remains in reasonable shape.
Prior to that unfortune episode six days ago, he only narrowly failed to make virtually all the running over today’s course and with a return to Town Moor seen as a better track for him to show off his skills, the son of Camacho can take advantage of a slight drop in grade.
20:10 Newmarket
PINAFORE (NAP) (best price 7/4) won with more in hand than the bare result suggests at Ripon last time out and, with an overall profile of a horse potentially capable of a good bit more as time progresses, William Haggas’ filly rates a strong choice to back up that view.
Heavily involved in one of the strongest three-year-old handicaps of the season so far at Newmarket back in April, the daughter of Dark Angel was unsurprisingly a warm order to vindicate the impression she created that day and although her performance at the Yorkshire venue didn’t contain the ‘wow factor’, she always looked like she had matters under total control.
Having missed several high-profile engagements since, its clear connections are keen on bringing along the filly gradually by keeping her in her own lane for the time being and with tonight’s conditions and track set to suit, this progressive three-year-old looks set to justify that policy.
20:30 Chester
RAZONI (best price 8/1) is one of the more exposed members of tonight’s party, but he does have a record which suggests he is more likely to run his race than most and with the hope that first-time blinkers might be able to elicit a small amount of improvement, George Boughey’s inmate is fancied to add to his series of consistent efforts.
No worse than fourth in his eight starts to date, the Lope De Vega colt added to that impressive tally with another solid runner-up spot at Doncaster last time out, but at the same time, he did leave the impression that the trip of a mile is just too short for him nowadays.
Prior to that eye-catching performance on Town Moor, he had filled out the same position on his first spin around tonight’s C&D and even though his return to the Roodee has to be classed as a tougher test on paper, his body of work suggests he will give it his best shot.
