Andy Holding's Sunday Racing Tips

SECOND COLLECTION (best price 5-1) was a bit below par at Goodwood last time out, but that was largely due to the soft ground and now back on a more suitable fast surface, Tony Carroll’s filly is fancied to bounce back at a track that served her well the time before. In cracking form during the winter period on the all-weather, the daughter of Delegator had exhibited a smart turn of foot to land a couple of well-run handicaps at Wolverhampton but until she’d arrived at the Berkshire venue last month, she’d yet to win on turf in four previous attempts. Laying that ghost to rest, the three-year-old once again showed a bright turn of foot to settle the issue within a few strides and with conditions likely to be almost identical to what they were on that occasion, it’s hard to see her not having a significant say in the final outcome.

With the likes of Tonto’s Spirit, Wells De Lune, Magna Carter and Constancio in the line-up, there’s bound to be tons of pace on from the get-go and that should set things up nicely for PROJECT BLUEBOOK (best price 7-2) who has spent most of his life over hurdles plying his trade to a fair standard in well-run handicaps such as today.

A little out of form and struggling to cope with a tough handicap mark and soft ground for the thick end of year, John Quinn’s gelding bounced back to something like his best on his latest outing when an honourable runner-up in the valuable and competitive Swinton Hurdle at Haydock a month ago. In a race run at a blistering gallop thanks to the exploits of Sofia’s Rock, the son of Sinndar struggled to keep up with the breakneck early pace, but once his stamina kicked into gear in the final half a mile, he stayed on best of all to get within a length of the eventual winner, Le Patriote. Although basic speed is a prerequisite around today’s tight track, you also need to stay well and with combination of those two key ingredients safely tucked away in his locker, a bold bid looks on the cards from this classy performer.

THECLOCKISTICKING (NAP) (best price 7-2) did remarkably well to finish a respectable sixth here last time out having survived an horrendous blunder at the first one going down the back second time around and based on the theory that he would having probably won with a clear round in that similar contest, it makes perfect sense to stay loyal to Stuart Edmunds’ gelding on his return visit.

A classy handicap hurdler, good enough to finish sixth in the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham and then fifth in a similar contest at Aintree behind Aux Ptite Soins, the seven-year-old was quite rightly well supported to take advantage of what appeared a fair handicap mark on his return to fences here 57 days ago. Unfortunately, because of that bad mistake which almost unshipped Ciaran Gethings and set him back to the tune of ten lengths, he could never really recover, but the fact that he dusted himself down and got within hailing distance of the main players that day tells you all you need to know about his qualities and willingness to fight against adversity. Clearly well treated on the evidence of that display, today’s extra distance, ground and track are all in his favour and providing he can avoid the kind of error which derailed him last time out, the lightly-raced gelding should go close to making amends.