Andy Holding's Sunday Racing Tips

Superefficient could easily turn out to be another horse that improves dramatically for Dan Skelton and for that reason, commands plenty of respect, but CHILLI ROMANCE (best price 4-1) is fairly reliable at this sort of level and she rates the solid and most obvious each-way alternative to the short-priced favourite.

A winner of mares’ novices handicap at Leicester in the winter, Fergal O’Brien’s mare has finished in the frame on each of her last three starts since and her latest effort at Newton Abbot recently suggests she’s holding her form together really well. Although ultimately no match for easy winner Khismet, the winner’s speed figure indicated she had very little chance of keeping tabs on that improving mare, but given that she finished well clear of the rest and ran strongly all the way to the line, the performance could hardly be described as a backward step. In the frame on all four previous visits to today’s track, that record shouldn’t be under too much threat providing she runs to her normal levels and the rain keeps away.

MAC AILEY (best price 13-2) blew any chance he had of winning when fly-jumping as the gates opened at Ripon last time out, but he did more than enough in the latter stages of that contest to remain of interest in this similar event.

Detached from the main group at the field turned for home at the Yorkshire venue 13 days ago, Tim Easterby’s gelding somehow managed to work himself back into the picture at the two-furlong pole and even when you though the laws of physics would catch up with him sooner rather than later, he kept finding more to finish a never-nearer fifth. Clearly miles better than his finishing position suggested that day, the three-year-old had run with plenty of encouragement also on his two previous outings this season, and with a nice draw right down the favoured middle part of the track, it would be disappointing if he wasn’t able to make the frame at the very least based on his recent exploits.

FACE OFF (best price 9-1) hit the ball out of the park on the figures when last seen at Navan and it’s just a case of whether she can translate that level of performance to today’s different surroundings. Heading into that competitive affair at the Co Meath venue on the back of only a handful of positive efforts previously, Charles O’Brien’s grey only looked to have an each-way chance at best, but as it turned out, she made a complete mockery of her handicap mark by spread-eagling her field in the latter stages. Picking up the running approaching the final furlong, the daughter of Mizzen Mast strode out handsomely all the way up the hill and with herself and the runner-up, Art Of Unity, pulling miles clear of the rest, the performance looked a totally believable one. Indeed, her speed figure came out best on the seven-race card by quite some way and with her nearest pursuer going on to dot up off a mark of 67 subsequent and, third home, Early Call, also victorious since, it’s clear to see the race in question was above-average for the grade. The 8lb rise she’s encountered, therefore, could have been a good deal worse based on subsequent events and providing she ends up being drawn on the right side of the track (middle proved best yesterday), the improving four-year-old filly should turn out to be a big player at the business end. Course specialist Little Clarinet comes here in excellent form and rates the main threat.