Andy Holding's Sunday Racing Tips

ÉCLAIR SURF (best price 2-1) ultimately ran out a clear-cut winner of a well-contested race at Hereford last time out and with the distinct possibility of more to offer, the son of Califet is fancied to keep the good recent run of his stable going in the right direction.

Kicking off his career with a hurdles victory over today’s course just over a year ago, Emma Lavelle’s gelding rather fell into a hole on his next two outings against better company so it was a case of going back to the drawing board. Freshened up and given a big break, the seven-year-old embarked on his career over fences on his first start this season and that move quickly brought about a change in fortunes as he finished a creditable runner-up to the useful Oscar Robertson in a well-run novices’ handicap. Back to the scene of that initial display, he made no mistake on his return visit, once again posting a decent time figure, and with his confidence in such a place that it should allow him to skip along merrily in front, another positive ride and solid round of jumping should see him hard to beat around a track where he has been successful in the past.

TOP OF THE BILL (best price 9-4) shaped really well in an above-average bumper at Ascot on his debut and with seemingly only one rival of note standing in his way, Nigel Twiston-Davies’ gelding is fancied to make the anticipated leap forward count.

Held up in the rear at the Berkshire venue, the son of Fame And Glory still had quite a task on his hands as the field straightened up for home, but making steady progress inside the final half a mile, he made solid in roads into the deficit and by the line, he’d claimed plenty of useful scalps in finishing a never-nearer third. By bumper standards, the clock pointed towards the race being not far off one of the best so far this season and with the form being upheld several times since, the five-year-old is expected to do his little bit over a track that should play into his strengths.