Saturday Horse Racing Tips from Andy Holding

PEARLE D’OR (best price 7-1) has struck up a fruitful relationship with today’s track in recent time and following a run at Newmarket that would have served the purpose of teeing him up nicely for this prize, David O’Meara’s chestnut is fancied to put up a bold bid on his first big target of the season. 

A proper hold-up performer, as the results were stacking up over the early stages of the Craven meeting, it became apparent the five-year-old might not necessary be best served to how the contest might pan out at HQ and as things transpired, that pre-race fear was borne out. 

Still towards the rear at halfway, he only made belated late headway but there was enough in his effort to suggest he will be a different proposition next time out. 213 over today’s C&D and with the hood back on, the son of Starspangledbanner has all the numbers in the book to suggest he should have a huge say in the outcome. 

AMBIENTE FRIENDLY (best price 18-1) will undoubtedly have to settle better than he did on his seasonal bow at Newmarket last month but, as he arguably brings one of the strongest forms lines to the party and, more importantly, he appears to have been overlooked by the bookmakers, he is worth chancing to see whether he can build on that promising opening display. 

Despite the pace being strong from the outset at HQ, James Fanshawe’s inmate was still a little exuberate in the early stages on the 1m1f contest and, as a result, there was always a likelihood he was going to struggle to see the trip out as well as others in the final half a mile. Although that theory partly came to fruition, he kept on well to finish a respectable fourth and under the circumstances, that must go down a fair return by the son of Gleneagles on his first start for 186 days.

Given the overall speed figure and subsequent form of the winner and third, it’s hard to fathom how he has been chalked up as one of outsiders in today’s field and he deserves to be played accordingly. 

KORTEZ BAY (best price 5-1) has yet to get his head in front in six starts, but he has been taking part in some salty contests over the last year or so and following yet another eye-catching effort on his first start of the campaign, Sheila Lavery’s colt is well worth an interest on handicap debut. 

Returning to the fray after a 173-day break, the three-year-old chestnut was once again up against a field of well-regarded types and although he had to settle for a minor role, he came out of the race with great credit being the only one of those positioned towards the unfavoured part of the track (far side) capable of offering some sort of resistance to the front two. 

What trip or ground he wants is still hard to tell but there’s a decent chance today’s C&D might just prove to be his sweet spot and providing he’s not totally caught out of a limb in stall 15, the son of New Bay should be very competitive off a opening mark of 85. 

ALSEEYERTHERE (best price 9-2) went agonisingly close to making the perfect start to the campaign at Doncaster 15 days ago and today’s contest provides her with the ideal opportunity to make amends. 

Having her first outing for 199 days, Steph Hollinshead’s mare was noted going as well as anything approaching the final furlong but no sooner had she hit the front, she began to paddle and was ultimately nailed on the line by two stronger finishers. 

Considering the ground conditions that day and the fact she may well have needed the run, she can be forgiven for not quite getting the job done, but returning to a C&D where she was a shade unlucky not to land a similar prize than the one she faces today towards the backend of last season, hope is high she can add to her only other career win at Redcar last summer.