Andy Holding's Sunday Racing Tips

Time may tell that COURTANDBOULD (best price 5-2) got beat by a fair tool in the shape of Grey Spirit at Stratford last time out and although the locally-trained Quloob will no doubt have a large say in the matter, he’s still fancied to give another bold display. 

In-keeping with many of his stable’s novices, the son of Court Cave has made a bright start to his new vocation and following a comfortable success at the first time over asking over hurdles at Stratford, he duly followed up with similar display a month later. Sent off 2-5 to complete the hat trick back at the Midland venue 18 days ago, Fergal O’Brien’s gelding narrowly failed to accomplish the feat as he was run out of the argument close home by an above-average recruit, but it was still encouraging to find out the time figure was so good and, on ground plenty soft enough than ideal, you could hardly describe his defeat as a backward step. Back on his favoured surface today, hopefully Paddy Brennan can get the fractions from the front and if so, the six-year-old should give his two main market rivals an uncomfortable afternoon at the office. 

BROGINE (NAP) (best price 13-2) won apologising here last time out and providing she’s in a similar frame of mind 27 days on, the daughter of Milan will prove difficult to beat despite the competitive nature of the field. 

Although she’s very much approaching veteran status, the 10-year-old mare couldn’t be in any better form and following two excellent runner-up spots behind a couple of improvers at Tipperary and Galway, she gained her due rewards here next time out. Always going well at the Co Mayo venue, she picked up the running travelling all over her rivals turning out of the back straight and soon clear, she was eased considerably close home to save her opponents even further punishment. Not for the first time, Seamus Braddish’s inmate has shown a liking for today’s track, as form figures of 12511 testify and with a likelihood of decent pace sure to turn this extended 2m6f into a proper test, she has all the equipment to show her true worth. 

PORTMORE LOUGH (best price 10-1) has failed to complete on his last two starts, which a little off-putting, but casting that negative to one side, John Kiely’s grey has been competing at a much higher level than the one he faces here this afternoon and with a clear round, he’s easily good enough to make his presence felt. 

A comfortable winner of a competitive handicap at Galway last October, connections clearly laid him out for the valuable Blazers Handicap Chase on his return to Ballybrit as he was well-backed to beat a field of 14, but just as he was looming up into contention five fences from home, he met the obstacle all wrong and unseated his pilot. In between times, the son of Presenting proved good enough to finish a creditable third in a Troytown Handicap won by Gold Cup fancy Chris’s Dream and he was also noted going extremely well before taking a tumble at the third last in a Grade A handicap at Leopardstown. Lightly-raced for a nine-year-old, he’s clearly very useful when stays on his feet and off a very workable mark of just 131, it would be disappointing if he couldn’t play a prominent role.