Andy Holding's Sunday Racing Tips

All eyes will be focused on Pinatubo as he bids to resurrect his reputation and while some may cast a large portion of doubt at his door due to the fact he’s got beaten at a short price twice so far this season, let’s remember, he’s still run to a very high standard despite those two defeats. On what we’ve seen of him so far this season and all the evidence as a juvenile, today’s seven-furlong trip might turn out to be ideal and with the ground at the Saint Lazare venue set to dry up based on today’s forecast, everything looks in his favour to justify favouritism.

The only problem, and it’s a big one, is his 8-11 price tag and for those of us not use to taking skimpy odds on a regular basis, the first reaction is to look towards something as an each-way alternative. In this case, there appears to be two in the shape of WOODED (best price 8-1) and ALSON (best price 11-1), so it wouldn’t be the craziest strategy of all time to play both against the field.

The former has just had the one start this season, resulting in a comfortable victory at Group 3 level and that victory was due to set him up for a tilt at the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot. Unfortunately, he ended up missing the gig but that may end up being a blessing in disguise as he now arrives here fresh and raring to go after a nice 60-day break. The way he quickened up at Chantilly on his seasonal return strongly suggested the son of Wootton Bassett is ready for a step into the big league and with a return to seven-furlongs not seen as in any way a negative, he looks sure to go well with conditions to suit.

The latter may be slightly better when the ground is a little deeper than what he’s likely to encounter this afternoon, but at the same time, there’s no denying his talents and levels of form he brings to the table. A very smart juvenile and a winner at Group 1 level, the son of Areion was pitched into the white-hot heat of a French 2000 Guineas on his first start for new connections and although he couldn’t quite live with the turn of foot shown by Victor Ludorum late on, he still ran to a fair standard back in third. Likely to be better for that initial outing and 3-3 over today’s trip, Andre Fabre could easily pull another rabbit out of the hat in a contest he’s won five times in the past.

The benefit of a recent run has to be seen as some sort of advantage in the early days of the new jumps season so the fact ELYSEES (best price 9-2) arrives here following a victory on the Flat has to count for plenty and he rate a confident choice to keep up the good form of his handler Alan King.

A useful juvenile hurdler, his runner-up spot in the Grade 2 Summit Juvenile Hurdle at Doncaster a product of his two previous victories at Warwick and Ludlow, the son of Champs Elysees has endured a slightly chequered career in the interim and his plight was no more highlighted by his dismiss display when pulled up 2m4f handicap hurdle at Kempton on Boxing Day 2019. Off the track for 172 days subsequently, the five-year-old bounced back to something more like his old self with a gutsy victory at Chepstow on the Flat and that success will have no doubt boosted his confidence no end. As his Flat rating has gone up following that much-needed win, he returns to an old hurdle mark which has gone down and with his favoured good ground seen as another vital aspect to his performance levels, he’s fancied to feature heavily in the final outcome.

CACHE QUEEN (NAP) (best price 3-1) ran to something close her personal best in an ultra-competitive handicap at the Curragh two days ago and a repeat of the same level of form is going to make her hard to beat now returning to a track and surface she excels.

Fairly industrious here during the winter months, the daughter of Kodiac was only once out of the frame in five starts and following a following six-month break, she’s returned to action in pretty much the same sort of fettle. Runner-up at Fairyhouse two starts ago, Ado McGuiness’ mare ran to an even higher standard when fourth behind the rapidly-improving Allora Yeats at the Co Kildare venue on Friday night and considering the 1m4f journey arguably just stretches her stamina, her performance has to go down as an upgradable one. Apart from the possibility of Calidus Mirabilis being on the improve, the rest of today’s opponents look relatively exposed and with a good break from what appears a handy draw, the five-year-old looks sure to give another solid account.

MARMOLATA (best price 10-3) never got a chance to show what she was about when denied a clear run at Limerick last time out, but did more than enough to suggest there’s races to be won off her current mark and she’s fancied to prove that to be the case in this similar-class handicap to conclude the card.

Not particularly well fancied at the Greenmount Park venue 13 days ago, Emmet Mullins’ filly looked set to defy her position in the market judged on how well she was travelling two furlongs out, but unfortunately she got badly hampered trying to go for a daring run up the far side fence and she got checked and shuffled back towards the rear of the field. Heavily eased by her partner once her winning chance had gone, the daughter of Palavicini left the impression she would have taken a hand in the finish with anything like a clear run and with her previous run for old connections at today’s venue pointing towards her being equally effective on an all-weather surface (finished strongly over seven furlongs), she’s afforded another chance to finally get off the mark.