Tuesday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

INTHEPOCKET (best price 2/1) was super impressive on his rules debut at Wexford and with connections wasting no time in upping up the son of Blue Bresil in grade, he rates a confident choice to take this tougher assignment in his stride.

A taking winner of his only start in the point field, the five-year-old was snapped up by powerful connections soon after and on the evidence of his opening gambit at the Newtown Road venue, the 290k price tag already looks like money well spent.

Sent off a well-backed 7/4 favourite 51 days ago, Henry De Bromhead’s inmate travelled like a good horse throughout and when asked to go and put the race to bed off the home turn, he duly found a smart turn of foot to pull readily clear. Visually impressive, the clock also backed up the view that he could be well above average and with the third home, Joyeux Machin, going on to boost the form since, it’s no great surprise he now finds himself dining at the top table.

A late withdrawal from the Royal Bond at Fairyhouse a month ago, it’s also worth noting he’s still entered in the big Grade 1 novice at Leopardstown over the Christmas period, but with today’s contest looking by far and away the easier option of the pair, it would be disappointing if this extremely exciting prospect didn’t put down a decent marker in this 2m4f division.

WESTERN ZEPHYR (NAP) (best price 7/4) landed some tidy bets (7/2 into 6/5) when making a winning hurdling debut over today’s C&D last time out and even though he faces a decent bunch of opponents on his return to the Shropshire venue, he’s fully expected to give it another good lash from the front.

Laying his cards on the table from an early stage here 29 days ago, the intention was clearly to take no prisoners and with one of his main market rivals being the very useful Flat performer Brentford Hope, not even he could muster up the necessary requirements to contain Charlie Longsdon’s runaway train.

Clocking a very fast time for a race of its kind, it’s clear the son of Westerner has a fair engine and safe in the knowledge that he’s capable of running hard all the way to the line despite setting strong early fractions, a similarly forceful ride by Jonathan Burke should ensure the end product is the same.