Andy Holding's Sunday Racing Tips

Both BLAIRMAYNE (best price 15-2) and FASTNET CROWN (best price 11-1) ran a good deal better than their finishing position suggested at Fairyhouse last time out and they appeal as interesting contenders now racing over a track that should play more into their strengths.

The former failed in his bid to build on his promising start to the campaign at Naas but to be fair to Natalia Lupini’s gelding, he never really got the chance to do so. Outpaced and towards the rear through the early part of the six-furlong contest at the Co Meath venue, the son of Zebedee was in the process of making some encouraging headway just behind the leaders when he got the door well and truly slammed in his face. Once pulled out into the clear, however, the eight-year-old made up some decent late ground to finish a never-nearer tenth of the 16 runners, leaving the impression he would have fared a good deal better had he received anything like a clear run. Returning to the scene of most of his best performances through his career, the dual C&D winner is fancied to roll back the years and easily outrun his morning odds.

The latter wasn’t quite so unlucky in the same race 16 days ago but nonetheless; a similar case can be made for Michael O’Callaghan’s gelding. On a par with Blairmayne, the four-year-old was also taken off his feet and towards the rear in the early stages, but the way he finished off his race down the outside inside the final furlong strongly suggested he would have been seen to better effect over a stiffer track. Runner-up on his previous start over seven-furlongs at Cork, the son of Fastnet Rock shaped like a drop in trip might suit in future and having shaped better than his finishing position suggested on his only outing over today’s track (tenderly ridden on seasonal return over a mile), this lightly-raced sprinter could easily take a hand in the finish providing he’s drawn on the right side of the track.

SOUTH TERRACE (best price 15-2) has had to play second fiddle to some useful novices over the course of the last few months but his mark has been relatively unaffected and he’s fancied to take advantage returning to the scene of one of his better recent performances.

Placed on his first two starts since joining new connections, Dr Newland’s gelding only just succumbed to the smart Lord Accord over today’s C&D a month ago but with the likes of Jarvey’s Plate and Skandiburg well beaten that day, his effort needed to be upgraded. Filling out the same position against Some Detail at Market Rasen last time, he just got outstayed on the rain-softened ground late on, but now back on a genuinely decent surface, the son of Fame And Glory looks sure to go well again at rewarding each-way odds.

Some popular names in the Irish handicap sprinting division take centre stage for this sough-after prize and in the shape of NORDIC PASSAGE (best price 25-1) and BREAKFAST CLUB (best price 33-1), both have the necessary requirements to cause a shock to some of their better fancied counterparts.

The former is one of only three C&D winners in the field and it was only a year ago when he was cleaning up in races of this nature. Not so hot in two races over the winter and on his first outing of the season on suitably heavy ground, Johnny Levins’ gelding did show more signs of life at Fairyhouse last time out despite beating only one home. Noted going well turning for home in the race eventually won by Dream Today, the six-year-old couldn’t get a run for love nor money inside the final two furlongs and in the end, his rider reluctantly was forced to ease down his mount once realising his winning chance had gone. On the evidence of that display, the Dabirsim gelding maybe not be too far off returning to his best and with conditions not a million miles away from those which saw him post a career high in a similar 0-100 five-furlong handicap here last season, odds of 28-1 are simply too big to resist.

The latter comes with slight risks attached, but he too, was an eye-catcher in the same race at Fairyhouse 16 days ago and he’s also worth a small interest at 33-1 or bigger. Sent off 7-2 favourite to land a premier handicap similar to today’s following an impressive win on his first start for new connections, James McAuley’s gelding failed to get the rub of the green in the race eventually won by A Step Too Far. Placed a couple of times at Dundalk over the winter, the four-year-old returned to action at the Co Meath venue after a 140-day break and although it’s difficult to predict where he would have finished with a clear run, it was an encouraging run all the same. Of what we’ve seen of him during his limited appearances, a strong run five-furlongs looks his ideal bag and drawn right down the middle where he can get plenty of early cover, it wouldn’t come as the biggest surprise of all time if he were to come there travelling well towards the business end.

SWORD OF FATE (best price 11-4) has proven several times that today’s unique course suits him down to the ground and following a victory away from his happy hunting ground at Perth last time, confidence is high he can add to his tally back at the Cumbrian venue.

A 20-1 winner on his first visit to today’s track last August, Leonard Kerr’s gelding just found the lightening all-round pace of course specialist, Tonto’s Spirit, too hot to handle here earlier in the month, but as the time figure pointed out, he clearly ran to a very high standard in defeat and a repeat of something similar is likely to see him hard to beat against today’s opposition.

Not a strong maiden by any stretch of the imagination and it’s one well within the capabilities of DIAMIL (best price 4-1) judged on his run at Listowel last time out.

Having his first outing for 216 days, Michael Halford’s colt was understandably a little rusty in the early stages up against horses who had important fitness advantage, but once he latched on to the coat tails of the main players, he came home to good effect to hit the line really strong. Sure to be sharper for that initial outing, the son of Awtaad is also likely to be seen in a better light over today’s stiffer track and hailing from a stable whose horses all ran well here yesterday, Daimil rates an excellent each-way proposition at his morning odds.