Andy Holding's Sunday Racing Tips

A Drinmore to live up to its star billing with so much talent on show, and of the stellar line-up LIFETIME AMBITION (NAP) (best price 11-4) is fancied to back up his hugely impressive chase debut success at Down Royal. 

A frustrating character over hurdles until finally clicking into gear at Limerick last March, Jessica Harrington’s gelding took his new-found confidence forward to the Punchestown Festival and in what appeared a decent novices’ event, he blew away several well-fancied rivals to leave the appetite whetted for what might lie ahead. Very much seen as a chasing prospect, the son of Kapgarde begin life in his new discipline in a hot-looking beginners’ at the Co Down venue a month ago and after jumping to the front at the first, he never put a foot wrong in seeing off a whole series of challengers from three out. In doing so, the six-year-old clocked the sort of numbers to strongly suggest he could take his game right to the top level and with conditions set up for his attacking approach, the rest of the field will know they’ve been in a race if he can get into a good early rhythm. 

So many difference angles of approach to this ultra-competitive handicap and while having the utmost respect for the likes of Eskylane (beat a similar good field at Down Royal last time out) and Autumn Evening (faller last time out when going well), the vote goes in the favour of VISIONARIAN (best price 10-1), who plain and simply is a must-bet at the morning odds. 

Extremely lightly raced for a six-year-old, Peter Fahey’s gelding has always exhibited a touch of quality when his does make the racecourse and by and large, he’s performed to a decent standard in most of his seven starts to date. Indeed, since he’s had his wind done, his performance levels have gone up a notch or two and even though his latest effort resulted in a defeat, his runner-up spot to Wouldn’t You Agree at Killarney back in August has to go down as close to a career-high. Not seen since, the son of Vision D’Etat, has, however, got a pretty useful record when fresh - as form figures of 1121 testify – and with the strong possibility of there being a decent amount of pace on right from the start, his stamina for beyond the two-mile trip may come in as a handy weapon in the latter stages.