Sunday Horse Racing Tips from Andy Holding

SIMPLY SIDEWAYS (best price 11/2) won in the style of a massively improving mare at Listowel last time out and even though she faces by far and away her biggest test to date, she arrives her in the sort of form to suggest she could prove equal to the task.

First striking for her in-form stable at Naas back in July, the daughter of Sir Prancealot has gradually worked her way through the ranks to the point where she could capture a competitive affair at the Kerry venue two weeks ago with that much in hand, the handicapper has quite rightly had to try and take evasive action.

The way she scythed her way through the field before scampering away from his rivals turning for home was a performance of a horse right on top of her game and considering she achieved this feat from the coffin box draw out widest of all, her effort deserves even more merit.

A lover of testing conditions and distances just beyond a mile, the six-year-old rates a strong choice to complete her hat trick.

Following LUMIERE ROCK (best price 6/1) blindly this season hasn’t been a bad strategy and for those who haven’t yet cottoned on to Joseph O’Brien’s inmate, now’s as good a time as any to jump aboard the bandwagon.

Yet to finish out of the money at the very highest level this season, the daughter of Saxon Warrior gained due reward for her consistency with a convincing display at The Curragh last time out and with the cheekpieces employed for the first time that day in operation once again, it makes sense to keep her on side from her favourable low draw.

Of all the sprint races run during the season, this one seems to have one of the biggest draw biases and with low numbers tending to lead the way in recent times, both WHITE LAVENDER (best price 10/1) and PONNTOS (best price 14/1) can take advantage of their positions towards the nearside rail.

The former has had this race in mind all season ever since finishing second in last year’s renewal and arriving here following a career high performance behind Highfield Princess at Goodwood, it sets her up nicely in her bid to go one place better.

Rested ever since, she come here fresh and with very little scar tissue from just four outings this season and with a record over today’s C&D that reads 421, it would be a surprise if Karl Burke’s mare doesn’t add to that impressive tally.

The latter was one of the chief sufferers in this race last year due to being drawn out in the cheap seats but now much more favourably positioned in stall two, the home-based five-year-old is fancied to feature more prominently this time around.

Unkindly treated by the ballot housed in stall 17, the five-year-old had little option but to stay in his lane and come up the unfavourable far side rail and although he ended up winning his personal battle with several drawn around him, he still ended up being on the wrong side by quite some margin.

Arriving here following a narrow margin defeat at the hands of locally trained Coeur De Pierre, there is every chance he will turn around that form with his old rival drawn in stall 16 and with a run style to suggest he will be on the sharp end from the start, he could prove hard ti shake out of the frame at the very least.

MARLEY PARK (best price 3/1) hit the ball out of the park on the figures when coming from a long way back over today’s C&D last time out and with Jim Boyle’s gelding likely to be ridden in a similar fashion due to his high draw, there’s a more than a fair chance he can repeat the dose.

Held up at the back of the field in what turned out to be a very strongly run affair, the five-year-old was delivered with his challenge down the centre of the course inside the final two furlongs and it was a run that proved an irresistible one as he past all his rivals to score with a bit in hand.

Based on all previous data, this time of year clearly suits him best and with another decent pace to run at, it’s easy to see him repeating the dose.

Finishing just as strongly as his stable mate 17 days ago, SECRET STRENGTH (best price 8/1) must come into the conversation at the very least and it is a surprise to see him trading as one of the outsiders considering his obvious claims.

Once again slowly away, he then had the misfortune not to get as clear a run down the straight as the eventual winner and given the way he hit the line, he may have had a bit more to say in the outcome.

Although he clearly comes with risks attached, he is more than capable of winning a race of this nature and he is worth a small cover bet just in case the wheels fall off the main selection.