Sunday Horse Racing Tips from Andy Holding

Another fascinating early season novices’ handicap chase that is bound to produce plenty of winners further down the line and of the sextet due to go to post, MANORBANK (best price 5/2) makes the most appeal to strike first time of asking over fences.

A progressive hurdler last season, Emma Lavelle’s inmate ran out an impressive and wide-margin winner at Chepstow back in April, before going on to slam the well-regarded The Same from the Olly Murphy stable over today’s course a month later.

Good on the numbers on each occasion, especially the one at the Welsh venue, the son of Arcadio returns to the scene of that victory raring to go in his new vocation and harbouring the size and scope that very much suggests he should do really well over the larger obstacles, the lightly-raced eight-year-old is fancied to make an immediate impact off an opening mark of 124.

There’s no denying Strong Leader brings top-quality novice from last season to the table, but at the same time, soft ground has to be something of a worry, whereas there are no such issues where NEMEAN LINE (best price 11/4) is concerned and he rates the percentage call at the morning prices.

Useful on the Flat when trained by Andre Fabre, the six-year-old has taken really well to the winter game and after making the perfect start to his new career at Hereford last November, he went on to prove himself against much stiffer company.

A creditable third to the smart Tahmuras in the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown, Kerry Lee’s gelding rounded off his campaign with victory in the Grade 2 Premier Novices’ Hurdle at Kelso in March and with the form of the race boosted by virtually everything in behind him that day since, he looks to start his new campaign off what appears a very favourable mark.

Based on his form in his native land and what we’ve seen of him so far in these shores, soft conditions are very much to his liking and having won first time out last season, confidence is high his trainer will have left no stone unturned for his opening gambit.

ALFALFA (NAP) (best price 2/1) has been just one of many big improvers from the Timothy Doyle yard in recent times and following a breakthrough success at Clonmel last time out, he rates a confident choice to double his career tally.

Sent off a short-priced favourite at the Powerstown Park venue after threatening to win for some while, the son of Sir Prancealot travelled as sweet as a nut from the outset and once pulled out in the clear to throw down his challenge two out, he quickened up smartly to soon put the race to bed.

Clocking a useful speed figure 10 days ago, his final three furlongs splits were also of a decent standard for the grade and having been slightly unlucky not to win over today’s C&D on his second visit to the Co Meath track (didn’t receive the clearest of runs up the far rail), he looks to have a gilt-edged opportunity to make amends.