Andy Holding's Sunday Horse Racing Tips

Mount Mews is bound to be all the rage here making his eagerly-awaited hurdling debut, but it won’t be all plain sailing for Malcolm Jefferson’s inmate with SAM SPINNER (best price 4-1) in the line-up. Similar to the favourite, he managed to land a bumper on debut last season, but whereas the jolly has no hurdling experience, the son of Black Sam Bellamy does have that advantage over his main market rival courtesy of a winning bow over timber at Newcastle last time out. Despite being a little sticky over the last two obstacles, Jedd O’Keeffe’s inmate proved too strong for a useful field in the closing stages and with the time figure suggesting it was a decent race of its kind, he rates the value call at the front end of the market.

Although Aux Ptits Soins is easily the pick of this field based on his hurdle form, he failed to totally convince on his chase debut, and in the shape of THE DUCTHMAN (best price 3-1), he faces a rival who will pounce on any misgivings from the short-priced favourite. No muppet himself over hurdles (runner-up to Le Prezien in a Grade 2 over today’s track), Sandy Thomson’s charge, however, has always been seen as a chaser by connections and he justified their beliefs with a thoroughly convincing display on debut at Wetherby last month. Despite racing over a trip short of his best and getting in tight at the last two fences, the son of King’s Theatre still proved too strong for his three rivals late on and with the step up to three miles expected to suit, he looks set fair to play a massive role in the outcome.

In what is the best 2m handicap hurdle to be run either side of the Irish Sea by a mile this season, MICK JAZZ (NAP) (best price 11-2) is strongly fancied to provide his in-form handler with another big Sunday pot. Formerly with Harry Fry, the son of Blue Bresil made a bright start for new connections with a smooth victory in a maiden hurdle at Clonmel and off the back of that performance he was seemingly pitched into the deep end on his next outing at Navan. Although he couldn’t quite see off the late thrust of his fast-finishing stable mate Labaik at the Co Kildare venue, he more than justified his participation in that Grade 3 affair, and now reverting back to handicap company off what looks to be a very favourably mark, it would come as something of a surprise if Gordon Elliot’s inmate wasn’t bang in the thick of the action. Of the rest, St Stephens Green has the ability to go close, but his suspect jumping could prove to be his achilles heel once again in this big field, while Campeador has to be respected on the notion that he would have won the Fred Winter but for a fall at the last when last seen.

In what looks to be a rip-snorter of a novice chase on paper, with all the big early season guns on parade, CONEY ISLAND (best price 20-1) rates the value pick at the early morning prices. Not far off the best of these over hurdles based on his fine runner-up spot behind Bellshill in the big Grade 1 staying event for novices at the Punchestown Festival, Edward Harty’s charge made a pleasing start to his career over fences when chasing home the smart and well-ridden Haymount from the same stable at Punchestown 15 days ago (fast time). Jumping well in the main, the Flemensfirth gelding stuck on well for pressure in the closing stages once the winner had got first run and even though he may require further in future to be at his best over fences, 20-1 is an insult for a horse with the kind of attitude to match his undoubted qualities.