Andy Holding's Sunday Racing Tips

Quite a few with a bit of experience under their belts in this maiden, and of those, SPRINGBANK (NAP) (best price 15-2) has vital C&D experience to call upon and that makes Johnny Murtagh’s colt a tempted each-way proposition at his morning odds.

Not totally unfancied on his debut here last month (sent off 12-1), the son of Galileo was forced to race wide throughout largely due to his coffin box draw, so under the circumstances he did really well to finish a creditable third in what looked fair heat. Indeed, the winner, Wichita, has gone on to record a subsequent success in the Group 3 Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket and the eleventh home, Lafayette, was also victorious in a maiden next time out at Navan. Nicely drawn today in the middle of pack, it will give his pilot Ronan Whelan options of where to go on his mount should the field stick to the far side or come stands side as they did in the majority of the races yesterday and this uncomplicated-looking grey should give a bold account under similar condition he faced 37 days ago.

A race Dermot Weld has won six times in the past, and of his two representatives here this afternoon, SHEHREEN (best price 6-1) rates the most intriguing of contenders.

Not knocked about when a staying-on third on her debut at Cork, the daughter of Iffraaj was a warm order to get the job done at the second time of asking at Galway last time out and having travelled well throughout, she eventually justified her position in the market. Taking a while for the penny to drop at Ballybrit, this likeable filly impressed with the way she quickened in the closing stages under (fastest final two-furlong splits on the card) under the prevailing soft conditions and with her ability to handle the ground a huge positive, she’s fancied to take the step up in grade in her stride.

An absolute brute of a nursery with so many unknown quantities who could easily improve significantly on handicap debut, and one of those that falls neatly into that category is top weight SONDHEIM (best price 16-1). Having his third run to obtain a mark at Navan recently, the son of Born At Sea shaped with a good deal more promise than his finishing position suggested when keeping on well without being knocked about close home and considering the five furlong trip that day was way short of what is likely to be his optimum in future, his performance was even more encouraging. Having raced way too keen before fading over a mile at the Co Kildare venue the time before, at least he’s had the experience of racing over the track, and even though genuine soft ground is an unknown, Will Farrell’s colt is worth a small speculator.

Of those with plenty of experience, MYRCELLA (best price 16-1) makes a small amount of appeal, especially as she at least proven in the conditions. Hampered several times before finishing strongly to grab second close home at Down Royal two starts ago, Willie McEnery’s filly had to marked down as an unlucky loser that day and although she failed to build on that performance at Naas last time out, she ran better than the bare result suggests. Pitched out wide in stall 18 at the Co Kildare track, the daughter of Anjaal used up loads of petrol to obtain an early position and then having swept to the front to look dangerous approaching the final furlong, the laws of physics caught up with her and she eventually faded back into the pack. Whether dropping back down two furlongs this afternoon becomes the answer in her ventures to get off the mark remains to be seen, but either way, she’s shown enough on her last two starts to suggest she’s not a total lost cause.