Friday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

THAT’S JET (best price 5/1) left the impression he was a bit unlucky not to have had a bigger say in the final blows of a similar juvenile contest on his debut over hurdles at Tipperary two weeks ago and he is afforded another chance to back up that viewpoint with that all-important experience safely tucked away in his memory bank.

Quietly fancied to go well at the Limerick Junction venue despite not having the most convincing of profiles on the Flat, Ross O’Sullivan’s gelding rounded the home turn still in with every chance of making an immediate impact on his first try at his new vocation, but the combination of a couple of sloppy jumps at the last two flights and being short of room on the run-in ended up costing him dear.

On the plus side, he did finish his race off with quite a good deal of purpose and considering he may have beaten today’s favourite, Sparkit, without those two issues, it makes little sense why the son of Teofilo has been chalked up twice the price than his old rival.

OUTRUN THE STORM (best price 9/2) showed more encouraging signs at Doncaster last time out and with the handicapper giving Richard Fahey’s inmate a golden opportunity to return to winning ways, he deserves to be played accordingly.

A little slow out of the blocks on his first two runs of the campaign, the five-year-old was a hard one to predict on Town Moor 20 days ago but, having set strong fractions from the start, he kept on well once headed inside the final furlong to finish a respectable third to the revitalised Mobashr.

Considering the gallop he set, it came as no surprise to see the post-race data point heavily towards one of his career best efforts and with similar tactics likely to be employed here this evening, he rates a strong choice to emulate his all-the-way success at Leicester last season.

Time has told MODESTY (best price 4/1) had little chance of matching motors with Embesto at Doncaster last time out but at least his effort served the purpose of blowing away the cobwebs after a 237-day break and he looks nicely poised to make a big impact in this similar event.

A good winner on his only start as a juvenile, Freddie & Martyn’s colt took the field along at a decent pace on Town Moor but just as his market weakness predicted beforehand, he became tired in the closing stages, and he eventually succumbed to the late challenges from two of his main rivals.

Given a nice time frame to get over those exertions, the son of Dubawi should now be a good deal sharper in all areas of his game and even though he faces one or two opponents here tonight who have similarly promising profiles, it would still come as a surprise if he wasn’t one of the chief players at the business end.

STAR GUEST (best price 2/1) produced an explosive performance when taking apart a competitive field over today’s C&D last time out and providing William Buick can sit against his mount early and preserve her energy as he did 21 days ago, Charlie Appleby’s filly will surely be very difficult to beat on her return visit.

Campaigned over seven-furlongs and a mile on her first two outings of the season, her apparent inability to see her races out prompted connections to drop her back in trip at HQ and, having raced kindly in hand for the first part of the contest, her work in the concluding stages was the most pleasing aspect of her performance.

Running the final three furlongs in 34.2, which was easily the best on the seven-race card, the daughter of Dubawi clearly indicated she is a sprinter through and through and on the evidence of that display, she should have what it takes to defy a 10lb hike in the ratings.