Sunday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

Such is the pronounced draw bias at Pontefract in recent times, those housed in the high numbered stalls have very little chance of making an impact – especially over sprint distances – so the fact BURJ MALINKA (best price 9-2) ran as well as he did from the outside peg at the Yorkshire venue last time, he probably should deserve more respect in the market than he’s afforded.

Campaigned predominately over seven furlongs and a mile last season, Adrian Nicholls’ gelding has had his sights turned towards sprinting so far this term and although his form figures don’t read too well at first glance, both runs since his comeback can be excused. Drawn out in the cheap seats on his first run for 130 days at Southwell a month ago, the son of Pride Of Dubai was far too keen for his own good being stuck out on the wing with no cover and he eventually paid for those exertions late on, ultimately finishing last of the 10-strong field. Unbelievably handed the widest draw for the second time in succession at the Yorkshire venue 13 days ago, this time the four-year-old chestnut kept on well given how much ground he had to forfeit over the five-furlong journey, so even though finishing seventh of 14 and being beaten five lengths wouldn’t normally signal a horse is ready to score next time out, his performance probably deserves a good deal more praise than at first glance. A keen sort who likes to race up with the pace, today’s extended five-furlong trip should end up being right in his wheelhouse and with those first two efforts likely to have brought him on considerably fitness-wise, he has a decent chance to finally shed his maiden tag.

SENSE OF SECURITY (best price 4-1) ran perfectly respectably on her comeback outing after a 126-day break at Kempton last time and now reverting back to grass at a track where she posted close to a career-high effort the last time she visited, George Baker’s filly can go close to providing her in-form handler with another winner.

Having just her second start for new connections since leaving Richard Hughes’ the daughter of Havana Gold has shaped with promise on each start and on the evidence if what we saw of her at the Sunbury venue 18 days ago, she looks thoroughly capable of getting off the mark sooner rather than later. Seeing out the trip well enough on her first try at a mile, it was noticeable that she settled much better than she had done of a couple of previous starts and that provides a little more confidence about her prospects going forward. Unlucky not to win here on her final start as a juvenile, the lightly-raced filly has a fine opportunity to erase that memory in the best possible fashion.