Sunday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

TWOSHOTSOFTEQUILA (best price 9/2) didn’t enjoy the smoothest of passages throughout the final circuit of his latest encounter here 16 days ago, but despite his rough ride, he still managed to post a useful set of figures for the grade and he’s taken to prove a mark of 110 over fences still underestimates his true worth.

Having just his second start over fences at the Durham track, the son of Snow Sky was dropped out in his customary fashion of what was a competitive novices’ handicap and if it wasn’t for a bad blunder at halfway and a slightly slow jump as the pace was increasing down the back straight for the final time, there was a decent chance he might have won.

Obviously, he could do without making any errors on the way around today, but looking at his final circuit splits from 16 days ago compared to the favourite, Tom Creen, he certainly has the flat speed to give himself every chance of coming out on top of that little private dual at the very least.

There’s a decent chance Sinbad Le Marin will leave his mildly disappointing effort on debut behind him at some stage this season, but at eight times his price, GORDONS AURA (best price 8/1) makes fair more appeal on this occasion.

Yet to trouble the judge in three starts over hurdles, that doesn’t mean to say Gordon Elliott’s inmate hasn’t shaped without promise and based on his latest offering at Cork, he appears to be going in the right direction.

A little outpaced as the pace increased rounding the home turn at the Mallow venue, the son of Golden Horn impressed with the way he stuck to the task in the final half a mile and after jumping the last, it was noticeable that he was gaining on the front three who had earlier given him the slip.

Time-wise, the race from 22 days ago reads favourably in relation to some of the better juveniles run so far this term and with the third horse home, Whatcouldhavebeen, going on to score since, there’s clearly plenty of substance attached to the form.

Whether he can turn the tables on Almuhit from their previous Leopardstown encounter remains to be seen (just over a length between the pair), but with his extra experience of running in a well-run race under his belt, there’s very hope he will prove good enough to finish in the money at the very least.

Two horses in the shape of JUNIPER (NAP) (best price 7/4) and Coolavalla on a serious upward curve here today and of the pair seeking to stretch their winning run to four on the spin, the former rates a confident choice to come out on top.

Never quite fulfilling her potential over hurdles, Harry Whittington’s mare has really come into her own since switching to fences and since stepped up in trip and winning with a degree of comfort at Warwick last season, her two performances either side of a 237-day break have been even more impressive.

Setting her stall out from an early stage at Wetherby last time out, the daughter of Malinas soon had her four rivals at full stretch and by the time she’d turned for home at the Yorkshire track, it just became an exercise in maintaining the gallop and staying on her feet.

Given the manner of victory and time figure she posted 35 days ago, she appears to have done amazingly well to come out of the contest relatively unscathed as far as her mark is concerned and with connections no doubt eying up the possibility of earning black type with this improving mare at some stage, today’s test around a track she’s won over before should be well within her compass.