Sunday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

PRETENCE (NAP) (best price 9/4) was just worried out of the argument in a rousing finale to a similar nursery over today’s C&D last time out and with that performance going a long way to confirm her liking for the track, Hugo Palmer’s filly can once again excel on the Roodee.

A winner here previously for Irish trainer Kevin Coleman, the daughter of Make Believe changed hands directly after that race and even though she faced totally different ground on her return to the world’s oldest racecourse, she managed to run to a career high despite the defeat.

The way the front two quickened clear of their rivals 23 days ago suggested they were both well handicapped and with the winner going on to run a blinder off a mark of 90 at Goodwood this week, there is every chance she will do so herself off 72 on her return visit here today.

BARNACULLIA (best price 12/1) didn’t run too badly on the Flat here four days ago and with that useful effort serving the purpose of getting him reacquainted with the track, he has far better prospect of repeat his previous C&D win than his odds imply.

A convincing winner of a competitive novices’ chase on his first visit to Ballybrit last October, the son of Ocovango has surprisingly failed to add to his tally since, but it is worth pointing out that some of his tasks included tackling Grade 1 and 2 company along the way and he is better judged on his solid effort in a quality handicap chase behind Final Orders at the DRF back in February.

Slowly away here the other night, he did run on nicely from the rear of the field once meeting the rising ground and now back under his optimum ground and trip, the six-year-old is fancied to be one of the main players with a clear round.

Looking at some of the main players according to the market, Hubrisko brings a touch of class to the party, so he must be respected but where the likes of Sole Pretender and Roseys Hollow are concerned, things aren’t quite so clearcut. The former has become a little recalcitrant down at the start recently so that trait must be a worry, while the latter has yet to totally convince all she’s an absolute natural over a fence and, as we know, today’s chase course does take some jumping.

Ado McGuinness hasn’t had the kind of festival he was hoping for up to now, but there is every chance the Lusk trainer won’t leave empty handed if either CURRENT OPTION (best price 3/1) or LAUGH A MINUTE (best price 14/1) run up to the standard that allowed them to finish first and third respectively in this race last season.

The former completed a hat trick here twelve months ago and just as he did in those previous attempts, he arrives here having used a mile race earlier in the week as a prep. On this occasion, he performed better than his finishing position suggested in the BMW Mile on Tuesday, staying on nicely in the closing stages to get without two and a half lengths of the winner, and given the way he was handled late on, its as if connections are willing to sacrifice getting beaten with a view to having him spot on for his ultimate target.

Reasonably well drawn in stall 9 and with underfoot conditions to suit, only a troubled passage can prevent him not having a huge say in the outcome.

The latter seems to have been around for ever, but despite his advancing years, he still seems to be enjoying his work and arrives here having run his best race for a while in a competitive sprint handicap at The Curragh.

Doing best of those drawn low, he kept on strongly in the closing stages despite racing on the slowest part of the track and it was yet another indication that he remains a potent force in any race when the ground is riding on the slow side.

Poorly drawn here twelve months ago, he did well to finish a never-nearer third and although stall 11 (stall 9 in effect once excluding the reserves) is only four places better this time around, at least he isn’t completely out in the cheap seats.