Andy Holding's Sunday Horse Racing Tips

First-time cheekpieces clearly worked the oracle for GOLD SMOKE (best price 7-1) at Cork last time out and if she can run to a similar sort of level here, there’s a decent chance that the daughter of Gold Well can finally shed the maiden tag. In a race run at a sound tempo at the Munster venue, the five-year-old was able to keep tabs with the leading pack fairly comfortably and although she couldn’t quite match the finishing kick of the eventual winner, Pixie Lane, she did pull nicely clear of the rest to finish a creditable second. Looking at the sectional times of that mares’ handicap nine days ago and it reveals the first two home were only a second behind the final circuit time completed by the 146-rated Rashaan, who took the conditions hurdle over the same 2m 4f trip half an hour earlier, so it’s clear that it was a decent race of its kind based on those findings. Although she’s yet to race left-handed over hurdles, hopefully that won’t present too much of an issue for Eugene O’Sullivan’s inmate and with plenty of form on soft ground tucked away under belt in the past, today’s conditions should enable her to run up to a higher standard than most.

PASS THE BALL (NAP) (best price 13-8) won apologising over hurdles here last time out and he’s strongly fancied to translate that form on his first attempt over fences. Always moving like the probable winner 17 days ago, Niall Madden’s inmate took it up after the fourth last and without being asked any real serious questions, he pulled readily clear of his toiling rivals in the final half mile. Upped in the ratings as a result, it would still have made logical sense for connections to exploit his seemingly lenient mark over hurdles, but the fact they are happy to ditch that project and crack on with his chasing is a tip in itself towards this multiple point-to-point opening his account over regulation fences at the first time of asking.

FIESOLE (best price 7-2) has been in tremendous form throughout the summer period under both codes and with that winning mentality showing no sign of abating any time soon, Eoin Doyle’s inmate is taken to back up his latest victory at Limerick. Following two easy wins over hurdles in May, the son of Montjeu reverted back to the Flat on what looked a lenient handicap mark, and so it proved to be the case as the in-form gelding showed a smart turn of foot to dispose of several useful rivals at the Patrickswell venue. Although he takes a step up in grade today and faces a couple of unexposed youngsters, the five-year-old has enough weapons to keep those whipper-snappers at bay.