Sunday Racing Tips from Steve Ryder

The soft ground will be a slight question mark for CLONDAW HOLLOW (best priced at 8/1) in this race but he looks worth taking a chance on with his good form at the course. The John McConnell trained eight-year-old won a maiden hurdle over this course and distance in August by eight lengths before following up in a novice hurdle at Perth by four lengths under a penalty on his next start over hurdles. 

Clondaw Hollow has been given a break since his last run but if he handles the ground then he should be hard to keep out of the frame with up to four places on offer. 

The Liz Doyle stable are in good form at the moment operating at a 25% strike rate and I think ENVOL PIERJI (best priced at 11/1) has a good chance in the Ulster National this year as a result. The eight-year-old finished a close 3rd on his reappearance at Down Royal off a mark of 114 before running extremely well at Punchestown last time. His finishing position of 4th doesn’t tell the whole story as he was badly hampered by a faller at the second last when looking threatening before weakening as a result late on.
Envol Pierji runs here off the same mark of 116 here and should run well with five places on offer.

The Denise Foster trained MEMORY OF YOUTH (best priced at 2/1) has improved from a mark of 83 up to 104 over hurdles since being fitted with blinkers and she should now prove hard to beat off a mark of 78 on her return to chasing. The eight-year-old has only had three runs over fences so she is unexposed in that code and looks worth taking a chance on off a 26lb lower mark. 

Sean Flanagan has two wins and a place on her this season so knows her well and I expect Memory Of Youth to prove hard to beat.