Andy Holding's Sunday Racing Tips

FLAVIUS TITUS (NAP) (best price 11-2) not only beat a hugely-competitive field over today’s C&D last time out, he did it against the track bias, and he’s strongly fancied to provide his in-form handler with another winner returning to the scene of that excellent triumph.

Having his first out since being gelded, Roger Varian’s charge was at a serious disadvantage being drawn away from the favoured stands side rail on his opening gambit for 193 days, but he somehow managed to overcome that huge negative with display of horse who was clearly a step ahead of the handicapper. Losing ground by edging over towards the main pack, the son of Lethal Force still has enough running in his legs to fend off a series of persistent late challenges and on that evidence he should be capable of mixing it in many of the big six furlong handicaps during the remainder of the season.

DANDHU (best price 16-1) showed good battling qualities to land one of the big recognised trials at Newbury recently and with her notable effort in last season’s Rockfel Stakes over today’s course also seen as a major factor to her chances, David Elsworth’s filly has plenty going for her in what looks a wide open second Classic of the weekend.

Progressive towards the backend of her two-year-old campaign, the daughter of Dandy Man first gave out signals that she could be above-average when she scored in impressive style on the all-weather at Kempton in September. Pitched into pattern company for the first time three weeks later, she proved equal to the task by chasing home the high-class Just Wonderful in a Grade 2 contest on the Rowley Mile and given how strong she was at the finish, connections had every right to believe she could come back in the Spring and be a big contender in the first fillies’ Classic of the season. Although her victory in the Fred Darling didn’t impress everybody, the form has already taken a boost with the eighth home Muchly going on to score since and with the likelihood of even more to come over today’s extra furlong, the chestnut filly makes plenty of each-way appeal at her morning odds.

Fancy Feat has done more than enough to suggest she can win a fairly modest maiden such as the one she faces today and unless there’s a massive amount of improvement from the Ballydolye filly, Heaven On Earth (last of 14 on debut), Jessica Harrington’s inmate should justify favouritism.

Looking a little future down the pecking order of those that have had a run, LADY OLENNA (best price 16-1) shaped with a good deal more promise than her final finishing position suggested on her debut at Cork and for that reason, she’s worth more than a second look in the ‘without the favourite’ market. Slowly away from her poor draw at the Co Mallow venue, the daughter of Lope De Vega found herself with plenty on her plate coming out of the back straight, but from that point onwards she made some eye-catching late progress inside the final half a mile to indicate there’s quite a bit of ability under the bonnet. Despite being short of room over a furlong out, she still hit the line full of running and with just normal improvement it would come as no surprise to see her better that initial result quite significantly.