Saturday Horse Racing Tips from Andy Holding

A tricky one to decipher for the opener on Shergar Cup Day but BADRI (best price 9-2) has one of the more convincing profiles and he’s worth a reasonable interest to provide the ladies team with the perfect start. 

Runner-up on his first outing at the Berkshire venue, the seven-year-old returned a three months later to go one place better and although he failed in his bid to add to his tally on his most recent run over the same C&D, his performance wasn’t without promise. 

Warming up for a tilt at the prize with an excellent effort behind course specialist Jordan Electrics at Hamilton last time out, Michael Hetherington’s gelding looks primed to go well on just his second start for his current handler.

Lake Victoria must be respected representing the powerful Ballydoyle operation, but this looks a bit of a no brainer as far as following solid C&D form is concerned and MOUNTAIN BREEZE (NAP) (best price 7-4) receives the automatic vote if you are an advocate of that system. 

A dual winner over on the Rowley course earlier in the campaign, Charlie Appleby’s filly was by no means disgraced in an above-average renewal of the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot (fast time figure) and although beaten again on her latest start when switching to the July Course, the data suggested she had once again run to a very high standard. 

Coming through strongly from the rear to chase home Arabian Dusk, she had in behind her subsequent winner Heavens Gate and a repeat of the same level of form entitles her to be the one to beat on her return visit. 

EMPIRE OF LIGHT (best price 15-2) has struggled to come to terms with his tendency to race too keenly on his last two starts but with connections making the right decision to drop the son of Kodiac down in trip, he has a decent chance of replicating his previous victory over today’s course. 

Since winning that competitive heat at the Merseyside venue back in June, Grant Tuer’s gelding has made two striking attempts to follow up but despite travelling strongly through each contest, his energy levels have been zapped by early exuberance. 

Drawn in stall 10 today, regular pilot Harrison Shaw will have little alternative other than to take a pull and drop his mount out towards the rear of the field early, but with the strong possibility of good pace being set up front by Salamanca Lad, a patient ride off a good gallop over a mile could be just the setup he requires.

There’s little doubt Hayley Turner has been the golden girl of this competition since its inauguration and the darling of the crowds is strongly fancied to close the curtain on proceedings riding NEW IMAGE (best price 10-3) off into the sunset. 

Her mount has by far and away the best form courtesy of his fine effort in the International Handicap here on King Goerge Day and it all boils down as to whether he stays today’s extra furlong. Based on how he finished off his race here two weeks ago he appears more likely than not to do so and that should result in all the layers both on course and off heading home with their tails between their legs.

The bookmakers will have you believe this Group 1 is a straight fight between Whistlejacket and Babouche but that way of thinking maybe a little shortsighted and HEAVENS GATE (best price 15-2) rates the value call to have more of a say in the outcome than her position in the market suggests. 

Although her task seemed a straightforward one in the Ballyhane Stakes at Naas in midweek, those penalty kicks on paper are never always easy as they appear, and when you also consider heavy rain wouldn’t have been ideal for her either in the grand scheme of things, Aidan O’Brien’s inmate was full value for her length and a quarter winning margin. 

Prior to that routine success, the daughter of Churchill had been cutting her cloth against the very best at Royal Ascot and Newmarket respectively and with her speed figures suggesting she is easily one of the best six-furlong fillies either side of the Irish Sea, the supposed Ballydoyle second string looks dangerously underestimated.