Sunday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

DARASSO (best price 10-3) is probably better known for his exploits over hurdles, but at the same time, he’s certainly no muppet over fences, and he’s fancied to prove that bookmakers are wrong in pricing him up so generously in the early morning lists.

Good enough to finish a creditable fifth in the Galway Plate back in August, Joseph O’Brien’s gelding has been plying his trade to a pretty high standard over hurdles since and although it’s fair to say he’s been pot-hunting in a several high profiles races, he’s also managed to land a couple of notable prizes along the way. Victory in the Lismullen Hurdle was backed up by another Graded success over today’s course two starts ago and there was nothing wrong with his effort behind Champion Hurdle-bound Teahupoo at Gowran last time. All in all, he arrives here in great nick and with ground and track to suit, the son of Konig Turf will be lurking in the bushes to pounce on any below-par performances from his three rivals.

Probably not too many late Cheltenham clues here, as only Ha D’or has a Supreme Novices’ Hurdle entry, but it’s still an interesting race nonetheless with the top four in the betting all laying claim to capture the prize on the pick of their form. Of the top three in the betting, Flame Bearer was the most impressive in winning last time out and it’s easy to see why he’s slightly favoured over Ha D’or – whose most recent form took a knock yesterday – but whether he deserves to be quite so short in the betting is a moot point and in any case, MEET AND GREET (NAP) (best price 4-1) makes far more appeal looking at the morning prices.

A game winner over the smart Top Bandit in a well-run bumper at Leopardstown last season, Oliver McKieran’s gelding has made a bright start to his career over hurdles and following an encouraging effort on debut over today’s C&D in November, he went on to build significantly on that initial promise when capturing a similar event on his return to the Co Kildare venue 98 days later. Staying on strongly in the latter stages of a well-run affair, the son of Mustameet beat a useful field that included the likes of Brooklynn Glory and Harald Hadrad and with his time figure coming out by some margin better than the other four hurdles races on the card (Brazil, Journey With Me and Goven the three notable winners), it’s clear he ran to a pretty high level. The fact he’s now run two solid races over today’s stiff track is likely to count for plenty in the final analysis and hailing from a stable who took this prize with Lean Araig back in 2015, the six-year-old looks set to outrun his odds in a major way.

PALACE ROCK (best price 4-1) deserved to be massively upgraded for his effort at Navan last time out and, as a result, he rates a decent bet at the morning odds to prove that theory correct in this similarly competitive affair.

Well backed at the Co Meath track to back his two previously creditable efforts in big-field handicaps, Francis Casey’s gelding was very much ridden with a view to get the trip 36 days ago and although the patient tactics almost worked a treat, he ultimately found just one too good on the day. That said, had he not been asked to race on the swamp up the inside of the track in the final half a mile the result may have different, and now dropping back down to his optimum distance here this afternoon, the son of Battle Of Marengo is expected to play a leading role in the final outcome.