Andy Holding's Sunday Racing Tips

As is always the case for this Grade B novices’ handicap chase, a large assortment of progressive types, some of whom have yet to reach their full potential, and of them, BEST BEHAVIOUR (best price 10-1) and COUNTESS CATHLEEN (best price 12-1) make the most appeal the morning prices.

Both took part in an informative affair behind the smart Bapaume back here in December, so there’s a pretty decent chance that each set of connections have had one eye on this prize ever since. The former came out just the better of the pair on that occasion and has since gone on to show an improved level of form in two races since. A winner at Leopardstown two weeks later, Oliver McKiernan’s gelding duplicated the feat on his return to the Co Kildare venue on his most recent start, coming from affair way back to edge out a couple of strongly-fancied rivals. Clocking a useful speed figure in comparison to the one posted by Carefully Selected on the same card, the son of Beneficial once again proved his liking for today’s stiff, left-handed circuit (also won here over hurdles) and even though he has the burden of top weight, he still should run his usual honest race.

The latter was only just behind Best Behaviour in that smart beginners’ here two months ago and she also has gone on to prove the value of that initial experience with a convincing success since. Sent to Fairyhouse a month later, Denis Hickey’s mare made light work of ten opponents at the Co Meath venue and with the time figure suggesting she’d run to a pretty healthy standard, there’s reasons to believe she has got in lightly here today off a mark of 114 on handicap debut (rated higher over hurdles). Moreover, she seemed to really appreciate the testing conditions that day and with heavy ground allied to her light weight likely to count for plenty, the daughter of Yeats stands out as one of the value bets of the race. Of the rest, An Fraoch Mor has shown a fair level of form since switching his attentions to fences and he looks to have been saved especially for this race ever since his smooth victory at Navan back in December.

Pasley is bound to be a popular choice among punters, but it’s worth pointing out that he’s three times been sent off a short-priced favourite and failed to deliver the goods, so he looks one worth taking on at the front end of the market. The obvious each-way alternative given his consistency is INSTANT RETURN (best price 9-2) and having finally got off the mark at the sixth time of asking at Punchestown last time out, he brings a fair amount of confidence and experience to the table.

No match for the likes of Cerberus, Aspire Tower and Wolf Prince on his first three starts, the son of Elzaam almost delivered the goods at the fourth time of asking at Limerick only for a slow jump at the last that handed the initiative over to his main market rival, Bajan Excel. Sent off favourite to extinguish the memory of that agonising defeat at the Co Kildare venue 39 days ago, Jessica Harrington’s gelding showed a decent amount of tenacity to fend off the persistent challenge of Politicise after the last and with the pair pulling nicely clear of the rest, it was yet another notable performance by this likeable four-year-old. Based on his overall record so far to date, an opening mark of 116 doesn’t appear too severe and with conditions in his favour, another good, solid run looks the order of the day.