Andy Holding's Sunday Racing Tips

Despite Nobody Home scoring tidily for this column in midweek, there’s no way he should be double the price of LEADERS CHOICE (best price 10-1) based on their previous encounter at Cork, so therefore Daniel Murphy’s charge has to be the best strategy at the morning prices. In a strongly run contest for the grade, the daughter of Presenting travelled as well as anything throughout and although she couldn’t quite go with the finishing kick of Jump For Dough late on, she did, in turn, pull nicely clear of the rest. Having previously run well at today’s track three starts ago, that box is suitably ticked, so there’s no obvious reason why she shouldn’t be bang on the premises based on all known evidence.

Kerry Lee had a welcome winner at Aintree on Friday night and ALTIEPIX (best price 7-2) is fancied to provide the Herefordshire handler with more cheer. Apart from a broken blood vessel two starts ago (stable has a fair record of treating horses with such a condition), the son of Fragrant Mix has run to a fair standard since switching from Gordon Elliot and his run over today’s course last time out typified his consistent profile. Although worried out of the argument late on by Storming Strumpet, the time figure suggests it was a decent effort by the seven-year-old chestnut in defeat and coming from a background of soft ground for in Ireland, today’s underfoot terrain shouldn’t hold any fears.

SNOANO (best price 7-1) was always likely to find genuine Group horses a bridge too far at Chester last time out, but he can be fancied to bounce back to his very best form now against a more realistic set of opponents. Prior to that anticlimactic spin around the Roodee, Tim Easterby’s charge absolutely dotted up in a handicap at Pontefract in a fast time, and having finished second on his only previous visit to the garden racecourse, a solid performance should be forthcoming.

By far and away the most impressive two-year-old winner so far this season was ALPHA CENTAURI (NAP) (best price 10-11) when scoring over today’s C&D on debut and even though her main rival that day, Actress, has improved herself subsequently (won at the Curragh last weekend), Jessica Harrington’s inmate is strongly fancied to confirm her superiority. Well touted beforehand, the daughter of Mastercraftsman certainly knew her job as she was quickly into her stride as the gates crashed back and staying on strongly up the far side rail, she pulled readily clear of her field. Not only did she make a striking visually impression, the time figure she produced clearly points towards her being a potentially top-class filly and having the size and scope to really develop as the season wears on, hopefully she can put herself firmly in the shop window for something at the Royal meeting with a success here (The Albany the most likely target).