Saturday Horse Racing Tips from Andy Holding

WOBWOBWOB (best price 13/2) landed a nationwide gamble when capturing the Ayr Silver Cup last time out and with his winning performance also enhanced by the speed figure he produced, an effort of a similar stature can result in another positive outcome.

Sent off 9-2 in a field of 25 at the Scottish venue, Adrian Keatley’s gelding didn’t give his supporters too many anxious moments and when you consider six-furlongs is the bottom end of his stamina spectrum, today’s stiffer examination in testing conditions should be even more up his street.

A previous winner over today’s track and a horse who has plenty of form over further, the son of Prince Of Lir will keep galloping when other around him are stopping.

The Cesarewitch is always a proper test of stamina at the best of times, but given the rain which fell on the track through yesterday, even the hardiest of battlers might wave the white flag. It will come as no surprise, therefore, if a horse who often plies his trade during the winter months over hurdles comes to the fore and of those in that category, JESSE EVANS (best price 10/1) has one of the strongest profiles.

Arriving here having finished a creditable fourth in the Irish equivalent and with the consensus being that race at the Curragh to be a much better standard to what he will face at HQ, Noel Meade’s ever-consistent gelding has the form to go well again providing the race 20 days ago hasn’t taken too much of a toll. Runner-up in the Galway Hurdle previously, the seven-year-old is used to running in these big-field handicaps and with the ground unlikely to bother him either, a big run is anticipated.

Although TEMPORIZE (best price 9/1) doesn’t come from a National Hunt background, his trainer does and considering he also stays extremely well, Syd Hosie’s inmate is a must for the shortlist. Always travelling the best from a long way out when hosing up at Goodwood when last seen the four-year-old has been saved especially for this race since, and with soft ground also seen a massive plus, this smooth-travelling gelding can put his small yard on the map.

OCEAN BAROQUE (best price 9/2) ran out a ready winner in the first-time cheekpieces at Cork last time out and with connections having saved the son of Caravaggio especially for this prize for quite some time, the well-orchestrated plan can be executed.

A game winner on soft ground at Navan earlier in the season for Kieran Cotter, he was having his first outing from his new base at the Mallow venue 18 days ago and under similar conditions, he further enhanced his reputation.

Clearly a strong stayer at today’s trip, especially under testing conditions, Daniel Murphy’s inmate has also been handed a potentially favourable draw in stall 15 (stands side often favoured at this time of year here on soft ground) and having run perfectly respectably on his only previous start over the C&D, it all points in the direction of a bold show.

THUNDERBEAR’s (NAP) (best price 2/1) love for testing conditions were further enhanced when scoring in gutsy fashion at Newbury last time out and with the speed figure speaking favourably in the direction of Jack Davidson’s inmate, he can maintain that fine record at a track where he has gone well in the past.

Tracking the strong pace set by Nymphadora, the three-year-old loomed up going easily at the furlong pole and although he had to be driven right out to the line, he always appeared as he had matters in control.

Only beaten three lengths in the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot on unsuitably fast ground, the combination of his stamina for beyond today’s trip, ground conditions and previous form over today’s C&D make the son of Kodi Bear the value play to get the better of Big Gossey, who often saves his best form for The Curragh. Stall seven may also work in his favour if, predictably, the runner’s edge over towards the nearside rail.

GLORY SKY (best price 8/1) didn’t quite get the rub of the green at any stage last time out but, as it turned out, it was still affair effort under the circumstances and having been handed what appears to be a favourable draw in her bid to feature more prominently, Richard Hannon’s filly could well turn out to be the answer to this tricky puzzle.

Held up towards the rear at the Surrey venue, the daughter of Cotai Glory was then taken out wide by her inexperience pilot and, as a result, she ended up running the entire final six-furlongs in lane eight – this forfeiting a huge amount of ground. To her great credit, she kept on strongly all down the straight despite the science suggested she should have fell through the back of the telly and with the speed figure of the race it was an even better performance than at first glance, she has a better chance than her odds would have you believe of turning the tables on her old rival, Labiqa.