Saturday Horse Racing Tips from Andy Holding

There’s no other way of dressing it up, THE BANGER DOYLE (best price 5-1) got a particularly poor ride at The Curragh last time out and with connections now turning their attentions back to the winter game with the son of Windsor Knot, he makes plenty of appeal to make up for a virtual non event 13 days ago. 

Nicely drawn in stall two for a competitive handicap at the Kildare venue, the eight-year-old was allowed to sleepwalk along at the back of the field for majority of the 1m6f journey and, as result, he was never in a position where he could land any sort of blow to the main players. 

He did, however, come home to reasonable effect to finish a never-nearer seventh and at least his performance in the latter stages suggests he remains in decent shape on his return to a discipline that last saw him finish a credit third in a Grade 3 chase at Roscommon last September. 

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MAW LAM (best price 9-2) looked like a nice prospect in the making when scoring in convincing style at Thirsk on her debut and with the data indicating she ran to a fair level in the process, Adrian Nicholls’ filly could well take this on-route to a crack at the Queen Mary. 

Fancied by connections at the Yorkshire, which was not replicated in the market itself, the daughter of Acclamation impressed how she latched onto the bridle after a missing the kick and being slightly off the speed in the early stages and once joining the front running favourite, Mademoiselle, she exhibited a decent burst of acceleration to pull nicely clear late on. 

Clearly a very precocious juvenile based on the pace she showed and the overall speed figure she posted a month ago, she has been handed a golden opportunity from stall one to build on her initial display and providing she gets a clear run over towards the far side fence, she can book her ticket to the Queen Mary and join the owner’s other speedy filly, Miss Lamai, at the Royal jamboree. 

SCENIC (best price 33-1) at first glance looks to have plenty to find with some of the main players on official ratings but she may not be the forlorn hope the market suggests, and she is worth a small interest to back up that view over a track that should suit. 

Although only seventh of 11 in a similar contest to this at York last season (sent off only 7-1) she would have finished much closer had she not been constantly denied a clear run inside the final two furlongs and based on that theory, there’s no way she should be chalked up four times the price of Sea Theme. 

Frustratingly beaten when a short price favourite to confirm how unlucky she was on the Knavesmire on her final two starts of the campaign, she finally gained her due rewards for her endeavours when running out a comfortable winner on her seasonal bow and with that breakthrough success hopefully providing her with the much-needed confidence going forward, Ed Walker’s inmate Is fancied to punch above her weight. 

KAYHANA (Best price 5/1), in finishing placed in three hard-knocking handicaps during the last twelve months, has probably achieved just as much, if not more than several of the main protagonists have done it pattern company and Dermot Weld’s filly is fancied to press home that view on just her second start at listed level. 

Third on her first two outings off a mark of 86, she was pitched into the white-hot heat of a premier mile handicap at the Curragh on her seasonal bow and, despite being off the track for 258 days previously, she managed to raise her game sufficiently to run a career high. 

Despite being run down by the rapidly improving State Actor, her effort in chasing him home has put plenty of credit in the bank going forward and with the Weld team seemingly firing on all cylinders at present, the four-year-old can earn some all-important black type for connections. 

Clararose won in the style of a very progressive mare at Warwick last time out and, hailing from a team in unstoppable form at present, she was always going to be a popular choice to follow up but she does face a similarly in-form hurdler in the shape of REGAL AND ROYAL (best price 11-4) and Jennie Candlish’s inmate rates the percentage call at the prices to take advantage of his valuable course knowledge. 

Arriving at the Welsh track following a break to get over his disappointing run previously on heavy ground, the five-year-old was given plenty of time to find his stride on his first start against handicap company and that patient approach worked a teat as he came through from the back of the field to score going away. 

Running a quick time for grade, the assessor seems to have let the son of Doctor Dino off very lightly and with today’s contest falling perfectly in his lap just three weeks on, he should have had sufficient time to recover and go again in his bid to cope and paste his breakthrough performance.