Andy Holding's Sunday Racing Tips

CONCERTISTA (best price 16-1) hasn’t quite hit the heights connections were hoping for so far this season, but if she can run to anywhere near the same level that saw her finish runner-up in the Grade 2 mares’ novices’ hurdle at last season’s Cheltenham Festival (not sure too many of today’s rival could have scaled those heights), there’s every chance she will outrun her morning odds.

Thought good enough to be pitched into the deep end on her first start for new connections, Willie Mullins’ inmate covered herself with glory by finishing runner-up to stable mate Eglantine Du Seuil back in March and if it wasn’t for a clumsy jump at the last, she may have scooped the pot outright. A bitter disappointment when beaten at odds-on on her seasonal reappearance at Fairyhouse when she might not have stayed the 2m4f trip, the daughter of Nathaniel could only find the one-pace behind stable mate Mt Leinster over today’s course last time out, but at least there more encouraging signs. Moreover, on each occasion she’s left the impression that she might be more at home on a livelier surface – like she was at Cheltenham - and with yesterday’s drying conditions seemingly suiting horses who have a preference for decent ground than soft or heavy, the six-year-old chestnut could make a big impact on her handicap debut off a mark of 135.

Providing Aspire Tower runs to the level of form he’s shown already, this race will boil down a question of what will finish second, and that position is likely to be filled by CERBERUS w/o Apsire Tower (best price 2-1) based on his overall performances so far to date.

A lightly-raced mid-70’s performer on the Flat, Joseph O’Brien’s gelding has taken really well to his new discipline, so much so, that he boasts one of the best pieces of form coming into this Grade 1 contest via a cracking effort at a similar level at Chepstow last time out. Although he couldn’t lay a glove on the runaway winner that day, Allmankind, the son of Iffraaj kept his main market rival honest all the way top the line and it’s worth pointing out that he lost no ground on Dan Skelton’s inmate on the final circuit compared to when they went past the mirror the first time. Prior to that excellent display, the four-year-old chestnut had been quite impressive in turning away his more fancied stable mate, A Wave Of The Sea, in a tactical dual at Fairyhouse and that was on the back of 19-length victory at the same track when he once again dominated the race from a long way out. An honest galloper, who jumps well and has a good aptitude for the winter game, Cerberus might not have enough class to halt Aspire Tower in his tracks, but he rates the clear pick of the rest judging him by his levels of form and time figures and for that reason, he makes plenty of appeal in the ‘without the favourite’ market.

MT LEINSTER (NAP) (best price 11-4) and Easywork have met before, with the latter coming out on top, but that was Willie Mullins’ inmate’s first outing for 206 days so there’s every reason to believe, with no fitness issues this time, he can exact revenge on his old rival on ground that will suit.

A free-going sort, even the advent of a hood failed to help settle him down in five bumpers since scoring on debut, but given a more patient ride on his hurdling debut at Gowran, the six-year-old saw his race out pretty well despite the heavy ground not really helping his cause. Only beaten a length by the race-fit Easywork at the Co Kilkenny venue, the son of Beat Hollow was understandably well-backed to go one place better with that initial run under his belt and having travelled strongly throughout, he found a smart turn of foot to seal the deal over today’s C&D. Based on the evidence of that performance, a well-run contest over two miles on decent ground suits him best, and with jockey bookings and his speed figures suggesting he’s the pick of the Willie Mullins trio, the exuberant-racing gelding could well turn out to be the answer to this rather weak-looking Grade 1.

The Pertemps Qualifier over today’s C&D was noted for its phenomenal last circuit sectionals compared to the other two hurdle races on the card (miles better than Apples Jade) and having shown up prominently in that cracking heat over the Christmas period, TOUT EST PERMIS (best price 9-1) looks sure to go well again under ideal conditions.

A Grade 2 winner over fences, Noel Meade’s gelding was understandably well-backed to take advantage of a 34lb lower hurdles mark in a handicap at Navan in December, but unfortunately for him and his supporters, he bumped into the equally well-treated and progressive The Jam Man and he ended up playing second fiddle. Once again popular in the market for his latest encounter over the small obstacles, the seven-year-old grey did more than enough to suggest he’s worth persevering with over hurdles when keeping on well to finish a close-up fourth behind the all-the-way winner Treacysenniscorthy, and even though he’s not a total shoo-in to turn around the form with his old rival, today’s better conditions will certainly help in his attempt (two wins over fences came on good ground).

Others to mention are The Jam Man, who beat the selection fair and square at the Co Meath track before running with credit at Cheltenham and High Sparrow and Stacks Mountain probably deserve more credit than the market affords them based on their efforts in that hot Pertemps Qualifier here last time.