Andy Holding's Tuesday Racing Tips

PSYCHOTIC (best price 9-1) made a pleasing start to his career with an eye-catching performance in a strongly-run maiden on debut at Salisbury and hailing from a stable doing quite well of late, there’s a squeak he can continue the good work for his Pulborough handler. Slowly out of the traps, green and unable to go the fast pace early on at the Wiltshire venue, David Menuisier’s inmate made up a lot of ground in the closing stages once working out what was required, and given that his pedigree suggests that he should come into his own over middle distances, a three furlong hike up to today’s 1m 2f trip looks a wise move by connections.

BRIAN BORANHA (NAP) (best price 2-1) is better known for his exploits at Market Rasen, but given that he managed to run a fine race on his first visit to today’s track last time out, hope is high that he can record his first victory away from his happy hunting ground. Although he couldn’t quite match the finishing kick of the progressive Lovely Job here 15 days ago, he still posted a good speed figure in claiming a creditable runner-up spot and with the pair pulling well clear of the rest to the tune of 29 lengths, it’s safe to say he ran to a pretty high standard in defeat.

OUR MAX (best price 7-2) could never be a strong choice given his propensity to be slowly away out of the boxes, but it’s noticeable that he’s been a little less day-dreamy of late and that should stand him in good stead on his attempt to keep his unbeaten record on the beach intact. Winner of both his races at the seaside track, the feature of each of those performances has been the way he travelled with such zest throughout, and having run much better than his finishing position suggested last time out on turf (caught out wide from an unfavourable draw), that fine effort should have put the finishing touches to his preparations here this afternoon.

As one would imagine for a meeting of this nature, many Dundalk regulars are in force for the only fixture during the year on the beach and having run most of his best races on Ireland’s only all-weather track, there’s every reason to be hopeful of a positive display from SHEPHERD’S PURSE (best price 10-1) on his traditional sand debut. Mixing it with some of the very best performers at the Co Louth venue during last winter’s campaign, his best effort came when he finished runner-up to the useful Ishebayorgrey in a race similar to the one he faces today over 7f back in December, and even though he couldn’t quite press on and grab the victory which his exploits deserved in three subsequent outings, he still ran to a fairly high standard. Back to form when returning to the synthetic surface last time out following several below-par efforts on turf (showed up prominently for a long way from a bad draw), Joseph Murphy’s charge should be just about cherry-ripe for a tilt at this prize off a handicap mark he exploit (has won off 90 in the past).