Andy Holding's Sunday Racing Tips

CLAUD AND GOLDIE (best price 12-1) is a tricky one to assess in many respects, but if we can take his latest effort at face value, there’s more than a fair chance he can punch above his weight for the second time in succession.

Beaten a fair way on his chase debut at Perth back in September, Sandy Forster’s gelding suffered a similar fate at Carlisle on his most recent start, but that 32 lengths defeat only tells half the story as he certainly shaped a good deal better for large portions of that smart contest at the Cumbrian track. Still travelling well as anything four from home, it was only from that point onwards that the son of Portrait Gallery began to flag, but even allowing for the fact he failed to land a blow at the main players, he still ran to a smart speed figure in fifth. Moreover, the likes of Euxton Lane (third) Fleminport (sixth) Pookie Pekan (seventh) have all performed up to a very high standard on their next outings – thus backing up the quality of the form – and despite the nagging issue of this being the potential platform of a third run for a handicap mark, the nine-year-old has too much ability to let him go completely unsupported.

Some really nice long-term prospects on show in this staying novice contest, none more so than SAMS PROFILE (best price 13-2) who shaped well on his hurdling debut over today’s course 21 days ago and threatens to be even better over this extra distance. A point-to-point winner over 2m 4f back in February, Mouse Morris’ gelding made an encouraging start to life under rules when third in a useful bumper at the Punchestown Festival in April and that performance very much suggested a bright future lay in wait for this four-year-old. Backing up that view on his very first start over hurdles, the son of Black Sam Bellamy showed plenty of quality and stamina to plough his way through the testing conditions here last time out and given that he still looked green and immature in the closing stages, the likelihood of more come from this likeable sort makes him a decent bet at the morning prices.

Brewin’Upastorm is bound to be a popular choice for many given his background in some of the best bumpers from last season, but this won’t be the stroll in the park that the layers anticipate and BRECON HILL (best price 10-1) makes a huge amount of appeal in both the with and without the favourite markets. Too keen for his own good after a 117-day layoff on his seasonal return, the son of Arcano momentarily looked like he might repeat the dose over today’s C&D last time out, but once he settled down into a decent rhythm he appeared far more tractable before going on to secure a convincing success over several useful rivals. As strong as he ever was in the latter part of the race, the five-year-old posted a useful speed figure into the bargain and with the tongue-tie on again to hopefully help him perform to that sort of standard again, Sarah Humphrey’s inmate rates a reasonable each-way proposition at the morning odds.

FRUITS OF GLORY (best price 33-1) has the sort of win-to-run ratio that indicates he isn’t one for maximum stakes, but at the same time he showed enough at Fairyhouse last weekend to suggest that his morning odds of 33-1 are completely out of line with his prospects in this significantly weaker affair. Held up right out of the back door while his stable mate Nobody Home led the field a merry dance from the front, Edward Cawley’s gelding at no stage had any chance of getting on terms with the pacesetter, but it was still encouraging to see him finish off the race as well as he did and that bodes well for his chances here this afternoon. Indeed, his final lap time of 2.48.7 was by some way the faster of every single other performer on the four-race hurdle programme (Lone Wolf next best with 2.49.8) and having put up plenty of respectable performances over today’s course in the past, the nine-year-old has a decent chance of picking up some of the lion’s slice of the pie under ideal conditions.

SPARKLEANDSHINE (best price 9-2) finish a creditable fourth in a much stronger race than the one he contests today at Ascot last time out and a repeat of that level of form is likely to see him take high rank at a track where he’s gone well in the past. A ready winner over the C&D back in March, the son of Olden Times was rather pitched into the deep end on his first start for 222 days, but his performance at the Berkshire track very much justified the engagement and it certainly indicated what kind of road he’s likely to go down for the rest of the season. A nice scopey type who’s bound to jump a fence sooner rather than later, Sam Thomas’s gelding looks like he’s been found a decent opportunity by connections and he makes plenty of appeal in a race well within his capabilities.

SILVER FOREVER (NAP) (best price 7-4) knocked out the sort of numbers than easily suggested she’s a filly of the highest class when scoring on her rules debut at Chepstow, and even though she faces a field that will certainly test her qualities to the full, it would still be disappointing if she doesn’t come through with flying colours. A ten-length Irish point winner, Paul Nicholls’ filly set off to make it a proper test at the Welsh track 32 days ago, and with each stride she took down the home straight, she gradually ground her opposition into submission. Time figure-wise, the four-year-old grey ran to a level verging on Championship level and with today’s track likely to play into her front-running strengths, the daughter of Jeremy will be extremely difficult to pass based on her previous exploits.