Andy Holding is back with three tips from today's horse racing action.
15:00 Southwell
A competitive handicap chase with many possible permutations but there’s a decent chance both BBOLD (best price 10-1) and JESSIE LIGHTFOOT (best price 11-1) can have a say in the argument on their recent form and they are taken against the field.
The former has yet to win since switching stables, but he has gone well each time and for nine tenths of the journey at Taunton last time out, it looked like he was about to justify heavy support. Hitting the front two out going well, it looked for all the world he had the race in safekeeping for faltering after the last, he ran out of steam when in mattered most and he ended up being collared by his old rival, Jessie Lightfoot.
Maybe he just didn’t see out the 3m2f trip that day or he might have just lost concentration, but either way, today’s easy three miles should suit better and given the way he travelled at the west country track, he should at least put himself into a position where can mount some sort of challenge.
The latter didn’t quite go on from that victory last month as anticipated seven days ago, but Ffos Las wouldn’t be every horse’s cup of tea, so she deserves to be given a pass.
Prior to that slightly below-par effort, she was strong when push came to shove and returning a track that witnessed her run out a comfortable winner on her only previous visit, Henry Oliver’s mare comes right into the equation.
19:50 Killarney
ALMUHIT (best price 11-2) understandably found 1m5f on decent ground a little on the sharp side on his seasonal bow at Navan last time out, but now returning to a C&D that saw him victorious during last summer, Emmet Mullins’ inmate can return to the Co Kerry venue and show his true worth.
Returning to the fray after an 83-day absence, the five-year-old was by no means in a poor position turning for home, but in a relatively slowly run affair, he just lacked the tactical speed of several around him from three out, and he could only keep on at the one pace to finish fifth behind the well-ridden, all-the-way winner, Boher Road.
Seen to much better effect over tonight’s C&D when staying on powerfully inside the final two furlongs to get up close home last season, connections will be hoping the pace is a little more earnest on his return visit and if so, the son of Sea The Stars has bright prospects of having a say in the outcome.
