Friday Horse Racing Tips from Andy Holding

FIRST LORD DE CUET (best price 7/2) is enough to drive any sane person around the twist but there’s also no denying he has a shed load of ability and in the hope that he can finally piece everything together, David Pipe’s inmate is worth one more stab in his bid to break his maiden tag over fences. 

Placed on all seven previous starts over fences, the son of Lord Du Sud, admittedly, was at times the architect of his own downfall but he also had the misfortune to bump into the likes of Complete Unknown and Monbeg Genius along the way, so he deserves cutting a bit of slack for some of his endeavours. 

Having undergone wind surgery during the summer, he returned to action in a hot contest at Cheltenham and right from the word go, everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Almost knocked over at the first when the winner, Malinas Girl, jumped to her right, he then got brought to a virtual standstill after the fallen Wayfinder ended up being directly in his path after jumping the third.

Almost tailed off at this point, the nine-year-old not only made up the lost ground (roughly 20 lengths) he was still bang in contention and seemingly going as well as anything when unseating rider at the final ditch. 

Where he would have finished had he stayed on his feet is anyone’s guess, but it was a performance that suggested he has come out of his recent surgery an even better model and providing he can avoid mishap on the way around today, chances are he can finally prove his true worth. 

DONNACHA (best price 9/2) ran a race full of promise on his handicap debut here last time out and with today’s New Course lending itself to those who enjoy a stiffer examination at two miles, for which he should benefit, Nigel Hawke’s gelding can maintain his handler’s fine recent run of form. 

Handed a reasonable mark 112 after winning on his seasonal bow at Chepstow, the five-year-old was one of a whole host of possible improvers in what looked a competitive heat on the opening day of the November meeting and although he ultimately found one too good, it was still a performance of great encouragement.

Just off the pace turning for home, Impose Toi showed a better turn of foot to get away from him at the last, but once meeting the rising ground, he was gaining on the eventual winner all the way to the line. 

Based on the way he finished off his race a month ago, the son of Jet Away should be suited by the long run from two out on today’s more galloping course and with most firms offering four places, he rates a strong candidate to fill one of those stops on his return visit. 

A whole shed load of promising mares on show in this listed bumper and of those that slip neatly into that category, MAROONED (best price 20/1) looks one of the most underestimated in the market based on her encouraging debut performance at Wincanton. 

Sent off 50/1 at the west country track, Keiran Burke’s filly always looked like she was going to defy those odds during the well-run affair and although she ultimately found two good on the run to the line, she impressed with the way she stuck to her task once they swept by her. 

Not unduly punished on her first day at school, hopefully she will come on for the run both mentally and physically and with today’s more galloping track likely to suit, the daughter of Black Sam Bellamy should provide her small stable with a decent roll of the dice at gaining some black type. 

Of the rest, Rula Bula clocked smart speed figure when scoring in game fashion on her debut at Warwick and she could be worth a small saver for those who like to play more than one in a race. 

VONDELPARK (best price 8/1) acquitted himself with great credit on his all-weather debut here last time out and with the numbers from that competitive heat suggesting he’d surpassed anything he’d previously achieved, a return to the same surface breeds confidence in Sara Ender’s gelding going one place better. 

A dual winner when in the care of Gemma Tutty, the four-year-old had yet to catch fire for new connections prior to arriving at the Midland circuit but in chasing home impressive winner Just Janet in a keenly contested seven-furlong affair, his pathway to further success appears a little more obvious. 

Having looked like he might win when he swept to the front over a furlong out, he didn’t have the sufficient response to fend off the eventual winner but at the same time he did finish nicely clear of the rest and as the form appears strong for the grade based on the speed figure, it’s a good platform from which to build. 

Back over a mile, nicely drawn and in the same grade off a similar mark, anything other than a positive outcome must go down as a bit of a headscratcher. 

CELTIC REVIVAL (NAP) (best price 5/1) is undoubtedly one of the more senior members of the party in terms of all-weather experience, but his busy campaign hasn’t prevented him from running incredibly consistently in recent times and based on his most recent effort, another solid performance looks a distinct probability. 

Racing over two miles for the first time, Edward Lynam’s gelding adopted his usual midfield role and although he kept on in typically game fashion all the way down the straight, he just couldn’t lay a glove on A Piece Of Heaven, who looked a class apart from his rivals. 

Indeed, given the time figure of the eventual winner, its little wonder he, along with the rest of the field, struggled to keep tabs on a horse who has the potential to take his game to pattern level (did beat a 106-rated horse at Gowran on the turf), but now back over his optimum trip and back among a group of performers he should be more comfortable with, it’s hard to envisage the four-year-old, with form figures over tonight’s C&D that read 31141311, not having a huge say in the outcome.