Tuesday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

LARUSSO (best price 5/1), admittedly, made slightly heavy weather of landing the odds at Sedgefield last time out, but that aside, he still has strong enough previous form lines to make an impact at this sort of level and at the morning prices, he makes plenty of appeal from an each-way stance.

Placed in his four previous starts, Stuart Edmunds’ gelding looked to have been handed an inviting opportunity at the Durham venue 27 days ago but it what became a messy race in which he had to make his own running, he ultimately was less impressive than was anticipated prior to the off.

On the positive side, it’s interesting connections are willing to roll the dice under a penalty rather than exploit what appears a workable mark in handicaps and his previous effort when runner-up to the 115-rated Onward Route in a decent time figure reads well in the context of today’s race. 

MACCHAIVELLO (best price 11/2) won in style of an improving sprinter at Kempton last time out and providing he proves equally effective over today’s sharper track, John Butler’s inmate can prove he remains a well-handicapped horse. 

Well-supported in the market and without the application of a hood, the son of No Nay Never was always travelling as though he was going to land the gamble (16/1 into 3/1) and when asked to go and win his race inside the final two furlongs, he found a ready turn of foot to pull nicely clear of his rivals.

In doing so, he ended up posting decent backend sectionals to complement his useful overall time figure and even though today’s draw could have been kinder, his morning price more than compensates for that slight negative. 

DRAGON OF MALTA (best price 11/2) hasn’t been blessed by the ballot being draw out on the outside in stall 15, but he has enough early pace to overcome such an impost and uphold his tremendous record at today’s meeting.

Third on his first visit to the Co Kerry venue two years ago, the son of Dragon Pulse returned to the scene of that excellent effort to go once place better when runner-up to the strong-finishing Laelaps and with connections no doubt intent on coming back with a view to adding that illusive victory, his campaign looks to have been geared around the harvest festival.

Getting better with each run this season, the five-year-old arrives here having posted a career-high performance on the figures when runner-up to the in-form Earls at Roscommon last time out and with a couple of his main market rival well beaten in behind him that day, he has nothing to fear if putting his best foot forward.