Andy Holding's Sunday Racing Tips

Last season’s County Hurdle hero, Saint Roi, is bound to be the centre of attention for most punters, but whether he’s a genuine 1-2 poke up against BEACON EDGE (best price 9-2) is open to question as Noel Meade’s gelding has equally, if not better form in some of the hottest novice races run in Ireland last season.

An easy winner first time out over hurdles at Punchestown this time last year, we had to wait 130 days to see the son of Doyen out again, but it well worth the wait as he ended up pushing the potentially top-class Jason The Militant hard all the way to the line in what turned out to be a quality Grade 2 regards overall form and speed figures (Andy Dufresne and Mt Leinster well beaten). Again, just touched off by the smart Cedarwood Road on his final start of the campaign back at the same track a month later, the six-year-old could easily prove good enough to take his game to another level with more time under his belt and having gone well fresh in the past, it would come as no surprise if he were the one to prove the biggest threat to the short-priced jolly.

UK racing has had to endure the action with no fans through the gates since the Lockdown was lifted, but over in France, punters have been allowed back in to help provide some atmosphere to proceedings in recent times and their presence will certainly help Frankie Dettori be in his element on Enable, who bids to regain her crown lost in this race last season. 

Normally, the Italian would be puffing his chest out with his usual swagger, but with the ground conditions the way they are, even he will be going into this contest with a certain degree of pessimism attached. By some way the best horse in the field on the pick of her best form, John Gosden’s filly probably hasn’t raced on ground as bad as it’s likely to be this afternoon, so with that in mind, the safest option is to look towards the likes of SOTTSASS (best price 13-2) and IN SWOOP (best price 9-1) as solid value each-way alternatives – especially with many firms offering four places. 

The former has had this race geared around his entire season ever since finishing third to Enable twelve months ago and based on each of his four performances since that day, his preparation couldn’t have gone any better. Runner-up to yesterday’s easy winner Skalleti in a Group 3 at Deauville two starts ago, the son of Siyonui ran another solid race against the very best over 1m2f in The Irish Champion Stakes last time and both of those runs very much suggested a return to his optimum trip would see him in a better light. Well drawn and one of the few in the field who won’t mind the very testing conditions, it’s difficult to envisage the finish without him being involved.

The latter ran in the best of the three trials for today’s race on the figures over the C&D last time out and with conditions likely to prove even more in his favour on his return visit, Francis-Henri Graffard’s three-year-old should prove to be in his element. Whether stall one ends up being a blessing or a curse only time will tell, but either way, his winning performance in the Germany Derby suggests he’s a strong stayer at the trip and hopefully his pilot will know a little more about today’s track than he showed last time.

IVY AVENUE (best price 13-2) arrives here in tip-top shape following a brace of wins at Gowran and over today’s course and even though she takes a dramatic step up in trip, Jim Bolger’s filly is still fancied to come out smelling of roses.

Since fitted with cheekpieces, the daughter of Ivawood has improved her game ten-fold and on the evidence of what we saw of her at the Co Kenny venue 32 days ago, the extended mile is the bare minimum of her stamina spectrum. Coming from miles back and despite racing on the slowest part of the track down the centre, she still managed to win going away and with an extra three furlongs on soft ground likely to prove even more favourable, the three-year-old chestnut can complete the hat trick.