Saturday Horse Racing Tips from Andy Holding

EMITOM (best price 9-2) was clearly very unlucky to bump into a horse of Saint Davy’s potential at Ludlow last time out and now heading back to a track that has served him well in the past, Alan King’s gelding rates a strong choice to have a huge say in the outcome. 

Unsuited by Haydock’s tight circuit on relatively decent ground back in November, the 10-year-old wasn’t seen out until returning to action in much calmer waters at the Shropshire venue two months later and in what turned out to be strong race of its kind, he only just succumbed to his younger rival late on. 
The way he travelled throughout that well-run affair 36 days ago, however, suggested he’s as good as ever and with form figures at today’s venue that read 112, it’s hard to imagine him not going well. 

MUSTA LOVEA LOVEA (best price 13-2) is undoubtably the most exposed member of today’s party, but he also carries the best form into the race courtesy of his excellent effort behind two top class novices here when last seen and a run of a similar level should be enough to see Oliver McKiernan’s gelding in the shake-up. 

Sporting the blinker/tongue-tie combination for the second time (replaced by cheekpieces today), the eight-year-old was seemingly up against it taking on the likes of Slade Steel and King Of Kingsfield in an above-average contest of its kind, but despite being rated considerably inferior to the first two in the betting, he was the only one of the other 20 in the race to offer any resistance to the pair throughout the two-mile journey. 

Although ultimately coming up short in the final analysis, the son of Mustameet could hold his head up high in only being beaten five lengths by two horses who have subsequently gone on to perform at the very highest level since and fourth home, Gorgeous Tom (runner-up to a useful sort at Tramore next time), is also very highly regarded by the Henry De Bromhead camp. 

The fact he hasn’t run since for one reason or another is an obvious concern, but providing he is somewhere close to where he was 90 days ago, the speed figures he’s produced in defeat strongly suggest he has nothing to fear from the three ahead of him in the betting here today.

As anticipated for the money on offer, a wide-open contest on paper but with the ground conditions as they are, it wouldn’t come as a huge surprise to see the likes of ALTOBELLI (best price 15-2) and SPIRIT D’AUNOU (best price 8-1) rise to the top of the pile. 

The former has already proved these big Saturday handicaps are well within his comfort zone and a repeat of either of his two performances in similar contests at Ascot should see him play a pivotal role. The latest of the pair saw him finish a close-up third behind Luccia back in December antd considering the ground would have been plenty quick enough for him that day, his effort deserves extra praise. 

Presumably saved for today’s raced since, connections would have been pleased to welcome all the rain which has descended on the Berkshire track in the last 48 hours and having shown a preference for big, wide-open galloping circuits in the past, everything looks set fair for a bold display from this unexposed type.

The trainer of the latter, in his own words, suggests he may have cocked up to a degree with the way he’s campaigned the son of Triple Threat, but at the same time, there’s no getting away from the fact he’s one of the few horses in the field who will genuinely enjoy today’s testing conditions.

The three times Gary Moore’s inmate has tackled either soft or heavy ground he has scored with plenty in hand and his latest effort at Sandown went a long way to cementing that record. The way he toyed with many seasoned handicappers at the Esher venue, including subsequent winner Punta Del Este, gave the assessor no choice but to inflict some sort of retribution and even though he will have to improve again to defy his revised mark of 139, the ability cope with the conditions will surely count for more than just weights and measures.