Andy Holding's Sunday Racing Tips

According to the betting, bookmakers have price up VUE CAVALIERE (best price 25-1) expecting her to finish last, but if Suzy Smith runs to the same level that she achieved when a sound sixth over today’s course last time, that’s unlikely to be the case.

Usually a keen-going sort that likes to lead if possible, the daughter of Spirit One got her nose knocked out of joint as the trail-blazing Commandant took the field along at a rattling gallop here 19 days ago and, as that extremely fast pace for the grade was maintained throughout the contest, it was no great surprise that she didn’t quite get home over a trip she’s been struggling to see out based on his previous starts. That said, she did jump and travel well at pace for a long way at the Cambridgeshire venue and with the decision to drop in back to the minimum trip likely to play into her strengths, odds of 25-1 seem absurd in the context of today’s much weaker heat on paper.

Stamina is sure to be at a premium in Ireland’s last big handicap of the season and having both proven that they have plenty of qualities in that department in the past, ROYAL ILLUSION (best price 7-1) and DALILEO (best price 20-1) are worth playing against the field.

The former absolutely routed her opposition in the Irish Ceesarewitch over two miles at the Curragh last time out and even though the assessor has done his best to try and level the playing field for the rest, it still might not be enough to stop Willie Mullins’ mare. The way she cruised through that well-run affair at the Co Kildare venue was a sure sign of a horse right of top of her game at present and with the apprentice-of-moment maintaining his partnership with the daughter of King’s Theatre, the combination makes for a deadly team.

The latter has a bit to find with Royal Illusion on their previous encounter at Listowel, but after a confidence-boosting success in a charity race at Leopardstown last weekend, there’s plenty of cause for optimism. Disappointing when sent off a warm 7-4 favourite at Dundalk the time before, that performance came totally out of context from Johnny Murtagh’s hitherto ultra-consistent gelding and having shaped up well the last time he faced 1m6f on heavy ground, odds of 25-1 look out of kilter with his overall form and previous speed figures.

THE RED MENACE (best price 8-1) may lack the experience of most of these grizzled handicappers, but at the same time, he has the freshness of youth on his side and a jumping technique that should count for plenty when the chips are down in a race of this nature.

A winner at the first time of asking over fences at Downpatrick back in August, Noel Meade’s gelding found the tight nature of Wexford on good ground catching him out on his next start at Wexford and so it was on to a more galloping track at Galway for his latest and most impressive performance. Sent to the front from flag fall, the son of Mountain High never put a foot wrong in his new front-running role and without being asked too many serious questions throughout, he also managed to clock a very fast speed figure. Presumably, the five-year-old will be ridden in a similar aggressive manner here this afternoon and providing he can get into the sort of rhythm he did at Ballybrit, there’s a fair chance he can make some sort of impact.

Riven Light always commands respect in the market because of his overall sexiness and set of connections, but he’s becoming expensive to follow and, with a doubt about his ability to see out today’s trip in the ground (travelled best at Limerick but go outstayed by Dadoozdart), he’s readily passed over at the prices in favour of recent C&D winner, SOLAGE (NAP) (best price 4-1).

A real mud lark, Jim Bolger’s filly once again exhibited her love for heavy ground when landed a listed race here two weeks ago and with the time figure suggesting it was a fair heat, a repeat of the same level of form should see her go very close again.