Andy Holding's Sunday Horse Racing Tips

Broken Soul probably sets the standard on his run behind Supreme Novices’ favourite Melon here two starts ago, but he has to be marked down as disappointing last time so preference is for YOUCANNOTBESERIOUS (best price 3-1) who’s run to a fair level on his four outings over hurdles. Runner-up to the useful Montalbano in a decent maiden hurdle over today’s C&D over the Christmas period (decent speed figure), Enda Bolger’s inmate once again ran right up to his best form with another podium finish at Naas last time out, and if it wasn’t for a bad mistake when he was still going well enough two out, he might well have broken his maiden tag that day.

This could well be the last chance saloon with regards a potential Cheltenham participation for Identity Thief, so with a slight cloud still hanging over Henry De Bromhead’s charge courtesy of one or two recent hiccups, the percentage call has to be DON’T TOUCH IT (best price 11-4) at the prices. A very smart hurdler, highlighted by his defeat of Petit Mouchoir at last season’s Punchestown Festival, the son of Scorpion has taken well to fences on the evidence of his three starts to date and arriving here off the back of a thoroughly professional display at Thurles last time, his confidence should be sky-high. Moreover, his speed figure he posted that day in comprehensively beating the useful Dicosimo marked him down as a novice of some repute and having already proven himself over today’s course many times over, Jessica Harrington’s looks booked to give another solid account.

Although yet to win in five attempts over fences, DAMUT (NAP) (best price 4-1) has been keeping pretty decent company and this looks a good opportunity for him to gain some reward for a series of solid efforts. A multiple hurdles winner (won four on the bounce last winter) he was in deep on his first three outings over fences against the likes of Identity Thief, Attribution and Bellow Mone, but they all served to gain him experience and give him an opening handicap mark where he could be competitive in the future. Indeed, on his first outing in that sphere, Joseph Dullea’s charge ran a blinder when finishing a close-up fourth in the Tim Duggan Handicap Chase at Limerick over the Christmas period and he followed that up with another sound performance over today’s C&D last time out. In keeping on well from the rear of the field to claim fourth spot behind A Toi Phil, the son of Gamut had the likes of subsequent winners, Lake Takapuna, Clarcam and Total Recall in behind him that day, so it’s clear he ran to a pretty high standard. Although he would probably prefer slightly better ground in an ideal world, the nine-year-old has plenty of solid form under testing conditions (has won on heavy) and with the services of Davy Russell (scored on him when they last teamed up) seen as a big positive, all the ducks seem in a row for him to play a significant role.