Andy Holding's Tuesday Racing Tips

PEUR DE REIN (best price 3-1) was faultless in pretty much every department when making a successful debut over fences at Uttoxeter a month ago and it makes perfect sense to keep him on side in the short term while the ground remains in his favour. 

Nothing special over hurdles, surgery to his wind was taken as a drastic measure to try and spark some improvement and that procedure worked the oracle on just his second outing post operation at the Midland venue 41 days ago when he bounded to victory over a competitive field of novices. Always jumping and travelling well from the start, the son of Kapgarde was full value for his five length success and with the time figure good and the runner-up boosting the form subsequently, a small rise in the ratings shouldn’t be enough to prevent him from being competitive again from the foot of the weights.

Sir Lucan brings solid-looking pattern form to the table courtesy of his run in the Beresford Stakes at the Curragh on just his second career start, but away from the obvious, the others appear much of a muchness, so there could be an opportunity for TRUE ARTIST (best price 40-1) to make a name for himself if he can build on his highly-promising out at the Co Kildare venue on the same day. 

Racing in the opening maiden on the very same card 17 days ago, Gerard O’Leary’s gelding had plenty on his plate as the main bulk of the field headed past the halfway stage, but picking up nicely from the rear inside the final three furlongs, he stayed on in taking fashion to finish a never-nearer sixth. Shaping like a similar horse on pure ability to the runner-up that day, Kailash, considering where they were positioned at halfway, it’s interesting to see such a huge discrepancy between the pair on the morning tissues, so on the basis that the son of Mastercraftsman deserves a good deal more credit than he’s being afforded by the layers, he has to be worth a small interest at over ten times the price of the second favourite. 

AIRGEAD SUAS (best price 5-1) made a pleasing start to her current campaign in a useful novices’ hurdle at Uttoxeter 18 days ago and with that all-important run under her belt, she’s likely to take high rank on her first foray into handicap company off what appears to be a fair opening mark. 

Useful in the point-to-point sphere, with one win and numerous placed efforts to her name, the daughter of Gold Well kicked off her rules career with a promising effort at Southwell last season when just getting a little tired late on in soft ground. Back on a better surface and ridden with a little more restraint at the Midland venue 18 days ago, Stuart Edmunds’ mare was noted doing some sterling late work to finish a never-nearer third in a race run at a sound clip from the start and with the likelihood of improvement to come given that performance came off the back of a 201-day break, there’s no reason why she won’t give a good account of herself.

LOINGSEOIR (NAP) (best price 8-1) ran a good bit better than his final placing suggested at the Curragh last time out and he’s fancied to bounce back to the sort of form that allowed him to run away with a similar contest to today’s over the C&D three starts ago.

Making his breakthrough here back in August, Michael Grassick’s gelding was a bit disappointing on his follow up bid at Limerick, but he wouldn’t be the first horse to come unstuck in the often glue-like conditions at the Greenmount Park venue, so his run can be forgiven. Contesting the lady amateur rider’s Derby at the Co Kildare venue 17 days ago, the son of Henrythenavigator was noted still going extremely well as the field turned into the home straight, but just as he was being delivered with what looked a potent challenge inside the final furlong, he got the door slammed in his face going for a daring run up the far side rail. Eased down in the dying strides, it’s not difficult to draw to the conclusion he would have gone very close to capturing the prize had he been blessed with a clearer passage and now heading back to the scene of his previous success with similar conditions in place, the four-year-old should turn out to be a big player back in the hands of the talented Micky Sheehy.