Sunday Horse Racing Tips from Andy Holding

QUEST WITH SPEED (NAP) (best price 7/2) sprung a bit of a surprise when landing a maiden hurdle at Limerick five days ago but with the post-race numbers suggesting there was no fluke about his performance, the strike while is hot mentality from connections looks set to be rewarded.

Arriving at the Greenmount Park track having shown glimmers of hope in several tougher assignments, he was one of many who had the potential to spring a surprise and having travelled well to out himself in contention rounding the home turn, he soon seized the opportunity presented to him in the final half a mile.

Staying on strongest of all late on, he bounded clear of his rivals in the closing stages and with big gaps back to the second and third, it came as no surprise to find out his speed figure was very good for a race of its type.

Working on the basis the further he went the better he looked, today’s step up in trip should suit and with the strong possibility Shark Hanlon’s inmate could turn out to be extremely well treated on his first try in handicap company, he readily justifies the best bet of the day tag.

There’s no denying Shecouldbeanything sets a decent standard in this listed mares’ contest, but BROOMFIELD BIJOU (best price 6/1) could easily turn out to be best of the rest at the very least and she deserves to be played accordingly.

Although yet to race at this level, she seems to be heading in this direction organically based on her last two efforts and having split the useful pair The Wallpark and 138-rated Bialystok at Listowel when last seen, Philip Dempsey’s mare has enough substance to her form to back up that theory.

Moreover, she has already proven today’s track holds no fears when landing a competitive handicap here at the festival back in April and providing conditions aren’t too testing (using a new strip of ground), she looks the one most likely to keep the favourite honest.

A cracking novices’ handicap chase on paper and its one MANORBANK (best price 6/1) can make his presence felt now racing over a more suitable trip.

Although a winner over two miles over hurdles, Emma Lavelle’s best effort came when lowering the colours of the useful The Same over 2m4f at Ffos Las on his final start last season, so there was always a chance the minimum trip could find him out on his first start over fences.

As things panned out, that theory came to fruition at the Welsh venue as he didn’t have the basis speed to cope with the free-going Matata but as he was the only one to offer any resistance to the eventual winner in the final half a mile, he still came out of the race with plenty of praise.

Likely to be better suited to today’s stiffer track and the slightly less frantic pace, the son of Arcadio makes plenty of appeal at the morning odds.

DUNDANIEL (best price 11/2) has twice suggested he might have a decent future since leaving the hunter chase ranks and with his latest effort going a long way to highlight that claim, Michael Kennedy’s gelding is regarded as a solid choice to make amends.

Well supported to land a competitive handicap at Thurles earlier this month, the eight-year-old looked to have matters in control as he smoothly eased his way to the front on the long run to the last but unfortunately a miscommunication meant he met the fence all wrong and the resulting mistake he made led to him handing the race on a plate to Name Me Famous.

Classed as a winner without a penalty on the evidence of that display, he now heads back to a track where he was previously successful in a hunter chase and if he avoids any costly errors on the way around, this promising chaser can continue his progressive.