Saturday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

The combination of Dominic Ffrench Davis and Kevin Stott have already teamed up to good effect at pattern level with Persian Dreamer at Newmarket recently and there is a decent chance KOMAT (best price 7/1) can follow suit returning to scene of her fine effort in the Albany Stakes a month ago.

Impressive when making a successful start to her career at Redcar back in April, the daughter of Cable Bay was pitched straight into pattern company with a trip to France next time and although she didn’t manage to take home the main prize, she acquitted herself with great credit by staying on nicely into third, thus gaining valuable black type.

Having her sights raised even higher last time out, she once again didn’t let her connections down with a thoroughly likeable display in easily the best six-furlong fillies’ contest run so far this season and considering the ground would have been on the quick side for her at the Berkshire venue, her performance deserves extra praise.

Back over the same C&D but this time on a more favourable surface based on her two previous runs, she looks to be overpriced if you compare her chances next to the favourite, Pretty Crystal (fifth in the Albany).

MAGSOOD (best price 7/2) created a favourable impression on his debut at Kempton and with that all important run under his belt likely to count for plenty, he is fancied to put his experience to good use over his better-fancied rival, Aablan.

Drawn wide at the Sunbury venue, a slightly slow beginning meant the son of Too Darn Hot was in the cheap seats as the field turned for home, but in finishing strongest of all, he made up the thick end of five to six lengths in the final three furlongs to be a never-nearer third behind two who already had the benefit of a run.

Very much the type to improve over further based on that initial outing and his pedigree, today’s extra furlong should see him in a better light, and he can keep the favourite honest at the very least.

Based on all previous data at this track, backing tried and trusted C&D performers is never a bad option and with both BIGGLES (best price 9/2) and VAFORTINO (best price 9/1) falling neatly into that category in this seven-furlong contest, the pair are worth playing against the field.

The former signalled his liking for Berkshire slopes when finishing runner-up in the Victoria Cup back in May and although the form figures suggest his latest effort here wasn’t anywhere near as good, he ran a good deal better than at glance on ground deemed too fast.

Back on a more favourable surface in the Bunbury Cup at Newmarket last time out, Ralph Beckett’s inmate bounced back to his very best by running out a comfortable two length winner over a competitive field and considering he pulled quite hard in the early stages, his effort deserved to be marked up.

Verging on pattern class based on that performance, this maybe one of the last times we see him in handicap company and with conditions having fallen just right once again for the son of Zoffany, it would come as something of shock if he didn’t end up one of the main players.

The latter finished just one place behind his old rival in the Victoria Cup and that is not the first time Kevin Philippart Du Foy’s gelding has gone well over today’s C&D. Admittedly, he has also thrown in a couple of below-par efforts in his four starts at the Berkshire track but, as there have been genuine excuses on account of fast ground, he can be afforded a certain amount of slack.

Back on song at York last time out, he arrives here in excellent heart and with a record that reads 1323 over seven furlongs on soft ground, another positive show from the five-year-old looks on the cards.

DIVINE LIBRA (best price 13/2) is quickly developing into a soft ground specialist and with a strong run six furlongs seemingly suiting him to a nicety at Chester last time out, Charlie Hills’ inmate can take the step up in class in his stride.

Shaping at though needing the run after a 56-day break when first encountering the Roodee, the son of Dark Angel returned to the sharp track two weeks later in a bid to take advantage of a drop in grade to Class 4 level and having raced prominently off sound fractions, he found the necessary requirements to see off his challenging rivals late on.

Just as effective over the shortest trip he had encountered on the evidence of that display, he now has a record of 141 on an easy surface and with today’s stiff course also seen as a likely benefit, the three-year-old grey can keep trending in the right direction.