Sunday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

NAVALNY (best price 5/2) has shaped with a good deal more promise than the bare results have suggested on both his two starts to date and with today’s race well within his capabilities based on all the evidence available, Henry De Bromhead’s colt can strike at the third time of asking. 

Extremely well supported to make a winning debut over today’s course, the son of No Nay Never ended up being victim of too far back off the home turn and even though he may a bold bid to rescue the situation in the straight, he ultimately just came up a little short. That said, the form of the race in question has worked out extremely well since (second and third both won) and the same can be said of his latest encounter at Dundalk. Pitched into a hot-looking listed contest at the Co Lough track, he didn’t do himself any favours by failing to settle in the early stages, but to his great credit, he kept on pretty well in the circumstances to finish a respectable fifth in a race run at a strong gallop and with the runner-up going on to land a decent pot at Leopardstown yesterday, his effort looks a little better than it did at the time. A proper big unit with tons of scope, the decision to drop him back down in trip for today’s assignment looks a valid one given how exuberant he’s been in both starts and having already proven he can handle the Co Kildare venue on the first of his two outings, there’s every chance he will go close to shedding the maiden tag on his return visit. 

The final of this series is always well contested and this year’s renewal looks no different and of those who seemingly strong credentials to take home the valuable prize BETTERDAYSARECOMING (best price 9/1) and ENCOSTA (best price 8/1) make the most appeal at the morning odds. 

The former is one of the more exposed members of the field but on the positive side, he is the only C&D winner in the line-up and that comes courtesy of his latest encounter here 31 days ago. Sporting the visor for the first time, Andy Oliver’s colt stayed on strongly in the latter stages to get the better of a 14-strong field and in doing so, he ended up posting a career-high speed figure. Targeted at this race ever since, the son of Muhaarar looks an obvious candidate to run his race more than most. 

The latter has a bit to find with her old rival from their previous encounter, but with Noel Meade’s filly since going on to prove she’s learning all the time, there’s a decent chance she will step up to the plate in her stiffest task to date. Really strong at the finish at Down Royal 20 days ago, she showed that a well-run contest over seven-furlong of soft ground suits and hailing from a stable who landed this contest last year with a similar type, the daughter of Mukhadram could easily follow in the same hoof prints.