Sunday Horse Racing Tips from Andy Holding

ALTO ALTO (NAP) (best price 9-4), thanks to the tongue-tie/cheekpiece combination, has proved to be a different proposition to the horse we witnessed earlier in the season and with today’s track another reason why Chris Gordon’s inmate has seemingly grown another leg, he rates a strong choice to complete the hat trick. 

A surprise 28-1 winner here over hurdles back in January when sporting the new headgear, the seven-year-old was sent back over fences in the hope his new-found belief would bring about an improved effort in that discipline, and so it proved. 

Although there were only four runners, the pace was very generous from the outset and despite looking as though he was going to play second fiddle to Prince Quali for much of the second circuit, he eventually wore down his prey to claim the prize close home. 

Based on the data (very fast time figure and final circuit splits) and subsequent exploits of the runner up, the form looks very good for the grade and on a day where his yard is sponsoring the card, the son of Falco will prove a very popular winner with the locals.

As good a mares’ only contest there’s been all season and with it likely to prove a proper test under the prevailing conditions, BIOLUMINESCENCE (best price 8-1) has the physical strength to cope better than most. 

A big, masculine mare with an appetite for muscling her way through bad ground, she also has a touch of class and Gavin Cromwell’s inmate proved that very point with a smooth success in Grade 3 company at Limerick last time out. 

The way she travelled before sealing the deal late on was in the style of a mare who had plenty left in the tank and on the evidence of that display, she thoroughly deserves to take on today’s better opposition.

ANOTHERWAY (best price 7-2) is one of the least experienced members of today’s party, but he showed at Punchestown last time out that he is ready for a stiffer examination and with Paul Townend having no hesitation in choosing him over the stable’s other three representatives, Willie Mullins’ gelding can make the switch to graded company a seamless one. 

Down the field behind No Flies On Us and Co in a decent maiden hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas, the five-year-old was strongly fancied to leave that effort well and truly behind him at Punchestown last time out and so it proved, as he ran out a very comfortable winner. 

Although it may have appeared a statutory victory at first glance, the numbers reveal he was operating at a fair level at the Kildare venue (fastest final circuit on the card by five seconds) and with testing conditions partly responsible for improvement, a bold show is anticipated under similar conditions here this afternoon. 

CHOSEN WITNESS (best price 11-4) took longer than anticipated to get his act together over hurdles but his smooth success at Thurles last time out suggested he is finally starting to live up to his form in bumpers and off what appears a reasonable opening mark, Willie Mullins’ inmate can make an impression on his handicap debut. 

Beaten 56 lengths by the smart My Trump Card at Navan previously, the son of Well Chosen wasn’t exactly the strongest of betting mediums at the Tipperary venue last time but, having travelled much sweeter than before throughout, he dispelled that theory with some aplomb. 

Staying on best of all off strong fractions, he ended up posting a very useful speed figure for a race of its kind and with the runner-up going on to boost the form next time, there’s no reason to believe he won’t do the same with the prospect of more to come.