Andy Holding's Sunday Racing Tips

GEGENPRESSING (best price 15-2) has run way better than his final finishing position has suggested on his last three starts and now racing over what should turn out to be his optimum conditions, the three-year-old gelding has a fine chance of hitting the bullseye.

Picked up by new current connections after winning a Dundalk claimer, Edward and Patrick Harty’s gelding has yet to win a race since, but there has been plenty of encouragement along the way despite those defeats and on the evidence of his most recent display at the Curragh, today’s trip might just turn out to be the answer. Having his first outing over the minimum trip, the three-year-old was noted travelling supremely strongly in behind a fast pace, but unfortunately he received no luck in running throughout the final two furlongs, leaving him to come home on the bridle without ever having a chance of being competitive. Prior to that unfortunate episode, the son of The Gurkha once again travelled like the best horse over today’s six furlongs until not quite getting home, so with a furlong less to race and potentially draw on the best part of the track (high numbers usually dominate on heavy ground on the straight track), he has every chance of going close in what appears a wide open contest.

TOMMY’S OSCAR (best price 15-8), unlike most of today’s field, has had the benefit of a run already this season and with that fine runner-up spot coming courtesy of a strongly-run affair at Wetherby earlier in the month, Ann Hamilton’s gelding is fancied to press home that advantage and regain the winning theme he found easy to come by last term.

Well-backed to make a winning return, the six-year-old looked like justifying his market position approaching three out with the way he cruised into the lead, but as it turned out, his tendency to jump right at his hurdles and lack of a previous run just caught him out in the latter stages. Good enough to finish a creditable third in the Scottish Champion Hurdle last season, the son of Oscar was a four-time winner up to that point and with all of his victories coming on soft ground, today’s conditions should be about spot on in order for him to run up to maximum capacity over a trip that should suit.

KICKSAFTERSIX (NAP) (best price 3-1) created a good impression with the way he conducted himself in a hot bumper at Worcester last time out and providing his technique is up to scratch on hurdling debut, Warren Greatex’s gelding easily has enough natural ability to go close in a race of this nature.

Promising on his only start at Exeter last season, the five-year-old had to cope with a 270-day layoff at the Midland venue a few weeks ago and as it turned out, his performance was about as good as could be expe3cted under the circumstances. In what turned out to be a very strongly-run race of its kind, the son of Scorpion travelled nicely in behind the pace to hold every chance off the home turn but as the tempo increased even further from that point, he proceeded to get outpaced until running on again late on. On the evidence of that display and also his opening gambit, he looks like he is going to do much better with a stiffer examination beyond two miles, so with today’s test likely to be pretty taxing due to the rain falling in recent days, Kicksaftersix should turn out to be in his element.  

Having proven himself twice last season that he’s at his best with a thorough test, connections of MISTER FOGPATCHES (best price 6-1) have no doubt mapped out a campaign whereby their seven-year-old grey is running in all the appropriate races and with today’s 3m4f handicap one of the first big long-distance race of the season, Pat Fahy’s gelding is fancied to put up a bold bid.

Campaigned at distances short of three miles for the majority of last season, the son of Fairly Ransom always shaped on many occasions as though he required much further and that theory rung true when he raised his game to the highest level by finishing a creditable third in the Scottish Grand National. Sent to the Punchestown Festival only three weeks later, he showed his durability by running out a game winner of a competitive 3m7f handicap chase and that effort only went to further underline potential to be a big player in similar races in the future. Teed up for today’s contest over a trip way short of his best at Listowel a month ago, this strong stayer should be more at home over almost a mile further and, as a result, he rates a decent each-way proposition at the morning odds.

LAYFAYETTE (best price 11-1) ran really well in a strong renewal of the Trigo Stakes at Leopardstown last time out and a repeat of something similar in the first time blinkers should see Noel Meade’s inmate outrun his morning odds.

Not quite matching the speed of the main players at a crucial stage at the Dublin venue, the four-year-old did, however, run on quite well down the outside to finish on the heels of the action and being as some of his best form in the past has taken place over further, a step up to 1m5f today should see him in a better light. Moreover, his form figures on ground with either soft or heavy in the official description reads 212214 and with his high draw likely to mean he will be in a decent position when the field make a bee-line for the nearside fence turning for home, a bigger run than he’s afforded by the layers looks likely.