Friday Horse Racing Tips from Andy Holding

Not much to separate HAKU (best price 5/1) and Norton Cross on two previous encounters and recent form but as the former comes from a yard in good form (Hugo Palmer 12 runners and 18 days without a winner) and is better drawn of the pair, Mark Loughnane’s gelding receives the slight vote.

Only just failing to fend off his old rival on their first clash here a year ago, the five-year-old gained his revenge on their most recent encounter at Wolverhampton last time and although a good deal of credit has to go the way of the eventual runner-up for making it such an exciting finish, the same can be said about the winner for the way he rallied once headed inside the final furlong.

As there clearly isn’t much between the pair in terms of ability, a good deal will depend on how today’s race pans out and early track position but as the son of Dragon Pulse has a decent chance to obtain first jump on one of his main competitors due to the respective draws (Norton Cross right out on the wing in stall 11), odds around the 6-1 mark seem more than fair.

DUYFKEN (best price 11/4) was undoubtedly a shade disappointing when a beaten favourite at Ayr last time out, but his effort doesn’t look as bad as it did on the day considering the first two home have both won since and over a trip that is likely to prove more beneficial, a chance is taken on Nick Alexander’s inmate making amends.

Shaping as though he would be all the better for the run on his first outing of the campaign at Kelso previously, the five-year-old was an extremely warm order (3/1 into 11/8) to back up that view at the Scottish venue two months later, but it soon became apparent turning for home he wasn’t in any fit state to justify the support and in the end, finishing a well beaten third was about the best he could hope for on the day.

Given the one pace nature of his display, a step up to 2m4f might initiate some improvement and if that does turn out to be the case, he may prove the one most likely to threaten Lihyan’s chances of following up his smooth C&D victory 18 days ago.

Both HAITI COULEURS (best price 7/2) and Magical Escape ran with tons of promise in two separate divisions of a novice’s hurdle at Chepstow 27 days ago but with the former arguably having the most scope for improvement, Rebecca Curtis’ gelding is fancied to provide his handler with a much-needed winner.

Off the track for 727 days prior to arriving at the Welsh track, the son of Dragon Dancer could have easily been forgiven for succumbing to fitter rivals in the testing conditions that were in place that afternoon but as things panned out, he not only saw the trip out all the way to the line, he was the only one to keep the smart Issac Des Obeaux honest in a strongly run contest.

Almost identical to Magical Escape in terms of the overall speed figure he posted and final circuit splits 27 days ago, it all depends which horse comes forward - or backwards as the case may be – the most as to who comes out on top but being as the seven-year-old might end up being the stouter stayer of the pair in the prevailing conditions, a chance is taken he can back up that theory and prove the value bet in what looks a wide open contest.