Andy Holding's Sunday Racing Tips

A neck victory over Templepark last time out wouldn’t be strong form in the context of today’s race, but at least COURT DUTY (best price 9-2) is proven over today’s C&D and will act of the likely testing ground better than some of his rivals, so he might have enough in his favour to bridge the gap in class.

Impressing with the way he tanked his way through the race at Newton Abbot 23 days ago, John Flint’s gelding would have won considerably further but for a catastrophic mistake at the final fence that Richard Johnson did well to sit, and that was on the back of a smooth success over the useful Ratoute Yutty here previously. Placed on soft/heavy ground in the past, the son of Court Cave is a much stronger and complete horse than he was back then and off just 10st, he’s likely to punching significantly above his weight.

Quite a few of these wouldn’t welcome any more rain, and while connections of SIROBBIE (best price 15-8) won’t exactly be cartwheeling with joy either, the fact that he’s got fewer convictions and is at the right end of the handicap might just enable him to pull through at a track where his form figures read 3-3.

Despite a sloppy round of jumping on his first visit to the Midland venue back in May, Harry Whittington’s gelding went on to duly land another C&D victory when returning three weeks later, winning with more in hand than the official margin suggested. Undone by the sharp track at Fakenham when beaten at odds-on next time, the son of Arakan bounced back to his best on his latest outing at his happy hunting ground and in seeing off the consistent Theatrebar, he also clocked a useful set of numbers. Moreover, the fourth home, Justatenner, has gone on to boost the form since and with a 5lb rise not seen as the harshest piece of punishment ever dished out to a previous winner, the progressive young hurdler can keep his perfect track record intact.

JOT’EM DOWN (best price 11-2) was ultimately flattered by the losing margin against the very well handicapped The Jam Man at Cartmel last time out, but he still beat the rest fair and square and as the speed figure of the race in question suggested he’d run to a decent standard, today’s opposition offers him a more realistic chance of winning.

A winner first time out over fences since wind surgery, David Bridgwater’s gelding has continued to respond well to that operation since and that effort at the Lake District venue was testimony to his consistency. Although all his last three runs have taken place on a decent surface, the son of Kalanisi does have plenty of soft ground form in the book thanks to his bumper exploits and in a race chocked full of modest and mainly exposed rivals, he should be capable of making his presence felt.