Andy Holding's Sunday Racing Tips

SUDSKI STAR (best price 9-2) simply loves today’s Borders venue and following yet another victory at his happy hunting ground on his seasonal return, there’s seems no real reason to desert Harriet Graham’s charge as he bids for course win number five. Not only did he appear on cracking terms with himself after his break, the time figure he posted suggested he’s better than ever and with today’s contest looking likely to be run at a similarly sound gallop, things should hopefully pan out in his favour once again.

FABULOUS SAGA (best price 5-4) has moulded himself into a powerful and relentless galloper over the summer period, so today’s test over this demanding track – particularly when the ground is soft - should prove to be right up his street. On both his starts over hurdles. Willie Mullins’ gelding as set off at a terrific rate of knots and the fact that he’s been able to maintain that high level of performance without being asked a serious question suggests the son of Saint Des Saints has a very powerful engine under the bonnet.

BEYOND THE CLOUDS (NAP) (best price 6-5) was hugely impressive both visually and on the clock when making a scintillating return to action at Worcester last time out and providing his jumping is of a decent standard at the first time of asking under rules, he should have far too much quality for today’s rivals. Most bumpers are notoriously slow run, but not the one Kevin Ryan’s inmate took 35 days ago and the fact he cruised through the race and only had to be nudged out in the closing stages indicates we are dealing with a horse who could easily mixing it up in Graded races during the coming months if all goes according the plan this afternoon.

Although ENTER THE RED (best price 13-2) has a better overall record over 6f, he can also operate at a very high level over the minimum trip and following a cracking effort at Naas last time out, another solid run looks on the cards from Aidan Howard’s inmate. Usually, the stands side (high numbers), is the place to be at the Co Kildare venue, but as it panned out, Tylery Wonder was always in the box seat towards the far side fence breaking from the number one stall, so that made the son of Red Clubs’ performance even more meritorious. Staying on well in the closing stages, the eight-year-old powered his way into a creditable and never-nearer third at the line and with the time figure of the race suggesting it was a very smart one of its kind, there’s every reason to expect him to be bang in the mix if running to a similar standard.

The key race to the outcome of this prize could well turn out to be the big 1m 5f premier handicap at Leopardstown run over Champions weekend and even though both SONG OF NAMIBIA (best price 20-1) and SEA THE LION (best price 25-1) failed to finish in the frame, the still came out of the race with great credit given how the race panned out. In what turned out to be a fairly modestly run affair, both found themselves with plenty to do turning for home, but doing all their best work in the closing stages, they finished off their races with enough gusto to suggest they would have been heavily involved in the outcome had they been ridden more handily. The latter in particular deserves the utmost praise as he was last as the field flashed by the three-furlong pole and even though his final finishing position suggests he was well beaten (16 of 20), he managed to cut the losing margin down to four lengths and was going on strongest of all as the line approached. Having already proven himself over today’s track with a gutsy win earlier in the season, odds of 25-1 seem plain crazy about Jarlath Fahey’s inmate in the first-time pieces.