Andy Holding's Sunday Racing Tips

Hopefully, the next inspection at 11am will give racing at the Haldon Hill venue the green light as we have a decent card to get stuck into, beginning with this useful-looking novice event. Solwara One and Casanova have progressive profiles and are respected, but neither has raced over today’s demanding track, so the percentage call at the morning prices has to be MARTINHAL (best price 7-1). Having his first outing at the West Country venue following wind surgery, David Pipe’s gelding showed a tenacious attitude on the run-in to overhaul the well-fancied Karl Phillippe, and with the time figure very good and the third winning since, the form looks pretty solid. An uncomplicated type who settles well and sees out the trip on a stiff track, the son of Westerner makes plenty of each-way appeal around the 13-2 mark.

There’s always been a bit of snobbery surrounding handicap form compared to Graded races, so that’s probably one of the main reasons why BREFFNIBOY (best price 10-1) has been chalked up rather dismissively in this listed prize.

Johnny Farrelly’s gelding has been one of the success stories of the season, winning five times and going from a rating around the 100 mark to 130 he rests on now, and even though his winning run came to an end last time out at Kempton, he still ran with a great deal of credit. Undone by how the race panned out at the Sunbury venue, the seven-year-old came home with his usual charge on the run-in to suggest a return to a stiffer test would see him in a better light. 2-2 at today’s venue this season and likely to run his race more than most, he should be capable of easily outrunning his morning odds.

Quite a lot of exposed handicappers go to post for this staying prize, but the same can’t be said about THE BIG DOG (best price 11-2) and he rates the one most likely to improve in this environment and step up in trip.

A winner of a bumper and over hurdles, Peter Fahey’s gelding has taken pretty well to fences and as two of his three better displays have taken place over today’s course, that knowledge gained should stand him in good stead for the task ahead. Outpaced before running on strongly on the run-in behind two very smart novices here over 3m1f two starts ago, the son of Mahler suffered the same fate on his most recent outing at Navan when pounced on by Mr Hendricks and Lord Royal on the run down to the last. That said, the overall time and final lap sections for that beginners’ chase at the Co Meath venue suggested they were trapping along at affair old rate and with today’s contest likely to be run at a more sedate tempo, he should find the les frantic gallop much more to his liking.