Andy Holding's Sunday Racing Tips

HOUSE EDGE (best price 2-1) shaped with a huge amount of promise in a decent maiden at Sandown on debut and is strongly fancied to make the long trek up north worthwhile. In a race run at a steady early pace at the Esher venue, Michael Bell’s inmate, who was a little tardy into stride, found himself in an unpromising position as the field turned for home, but it was nice to see him finish off his race really strongly in the closing stages once the penny began to drop. Hitting the line really hard to finish a never-nearer fifth, the son of Nathaniel intimated he’d be a totally different proposition next time out with that initial run under his belt, and being a half-brother to the very smart Khalidi, he already looks one for middle-distances next season. 

SISTER BLANDINA (best price 9-2) has taken a while to click into top gear this season, but her performance at Galway last time out suggested she’s really found her groove and she’s expected to continue the good work on ground that clearly suits. The way she travelled before quickening away from her rivals at Ballybrit 12 days ago indicates she’s a filly right on top of her game at present and even though she faces the likes of the in-form mud-lover On The Go Again, she’s still taken to reward strong each-way support. 

Sayar was quite impressive on his debut for Willie Mullins at Kilbeggan, but he didn’t beat much and on ground he’s unproven on, he’s readily passed over at the prices in favour of battle-hardened MORGAN (best price 9-2). Although he might lack the sexiness of some here, the one thing Gordon Elliot’s inmate doesn’t mind is very testing conditions, as he proved last time out when cutting the useful Minella Beau to ribbons at the Listowel Harvest Festival. Beaten by one of today’s rivals, Housesofparliment, at the Galway Festival previously, the son of Big Bad Bob has a decent chance of turning the tables around, as his conqueror that day would prefer much better ground and because many punters will be put off by the fact he’s got to give weight all around, those of us prepared to totally ignore the weights and measures snobs insures we will get a nice juicy price about the reliable five-year-old.

Although SIGNS OF BLESSING (best price 9-2) has loads of top-class Group 1 form over 6f, he has the run-style that suggests he should have been campaigned over the minimum trip more often and he can put it up to the two big UK raiders, Marsha and Battaash, who bring the best recent form to the table from the Nunthorpe at York. On his day, the Invincible Spirit gelding is a real force to be reckoned with in this division, as he proved with his victory in the 2016 Prix Maurice De Gheest at Deauville. Unable to repeat the dose this year, the six-year-old bounced back to form with an all-the-way success at his happy hunting ground last time out and that performance should bring a degree of confidence to the table in his bid to attempt to make all the running here this afternoon.