Sunday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

A decent pot on offer for what look a typically competitive Birdcatcher Nursery and of the 11 due to go to post POLAR BEAR (best price 10/3) and RHYTHM KING (best price 12/1) make the most appeal.

The former had to wait until his ninth attempt before finally getting off the mark but the combination of proper soft ground and today’s stiff six-furlongs really brought out the best in Jessica Harrington’s colt. Unlike several previous performances over the minimum trip, he was able to travel much easier within a slightly slower tempo and when it came to the business end of the race he was noticeable strong.

Due to go to the sales in the interim, connections of the son of Kodi Bear have decided to hang on to their commodity for the time being and with today’s race back at the scene of his most recent effort presumably one of the main reasons for their change of heart, the improving juvenile looks set to rewards his followers in handsome fashion.

The latter has to prove himself equally effective over today’s six-furlong journey than he has on his last two starts over further, but the one thing that might help him here this afternoon is the ground, and Mark Fahey’s gelding is worth more than just a token interest to see whether he has enough boot.

Down the field in three maiden prior to making his handicap debut at Gowran two starts ago, the son of Elzaam was nicely backed to make a bigger impact than his morning odds of 33-1 suggested and having broken well to race handy from his middle draw, he stayed on strongly at the business end to duly land the touch,

Sent to Galway for his latest expedition, this time he wasn’t so blessed with the draw (stall 16 of 16) but despite that impost, he ended up running an extraordinary race to finish a creditable second. Way behind at halfway, the stickily-built colt impressed with the way he quickened by the entire field barring the winner in the matter of two furlongs and considering he had to achieve that feat by racing around the outside, his performance deserves even more praise.

As his pedigree suggests, he’s clearly at home under testing conditions and providing he can hold a decent early position, there’s every chance he will competitive at the business end.

COLONEL HARRY (best price 4/1) clearly caught a tartar in the shape of Mofasa when a well-backed favourite on his hurdling debut at Uttoxeter but with that initial outing likely to have done him the world of good, Jamie Snowden’s gelding can go some way to putting matters straight.

Being a point winner over three miles, starting his life under rules over 2m4f seemed a logical move, but as it turned out, his exuberance over that trip ended up being partly his downfall as he couldn’t fend off his main rival in the final half a mile. He also clearly came across a horse who had an extreme amount of ability, as he went on to prove at Cheltenham next time, so his performance in defeat wasn’t all bad.

Indeed, the numbers from the Midland venue suggested it was a fair race of its kind and now dropped back to the minimum trip on ground that will suit, the son of Shirocco is expected to come into his own.

THE VERY MAN (best price 9/1) is arguably the trickiest to assess of the entire field, only having the three runs on the Flat, but on the evidence of his latest outing at Thurles, there’s a good chance Jessica Harrington’s inmate can prove himself to be fairly well treated on his handicap debut.

A listed winner over hurdles, rated 144 in his pomp, the son of Jeremy has been sent on the level in recent times to see whether his fortunes could be revived and on limited samples we have of him in his new vocation, he seems to be going along quite sweetly.

Noted doing some good late work behind subsequent winner White Caviar at the Listowel Festival, the eight-year-old was upped significantly in trip at the Co Tipperary venue last time and in what looked an above-average contest beforehand, he readily put his rivals to the sword. Of those vanquished that day, the runner-up, Sundial, bolted up next time at Navan, while the third, Supreme Jet, readily disposed of five opponents in a useful contest back over hurdles next time.

The feature of that performance 31 days ago was how strong he was in the latter stages and even though stall 23 this afternoon has its potential pitfalls, he might have enough quality to overcome such an impost and play a significant role.