Horse Racing Tips: Take Heart from Murtagh in Sunday each-way double

• Trainer with two winners from his last three runners

• Five places on offer each-way for the Irish Lincolnshire

• Alan Dudman looks forward to the Curragh on Sunday with an each-way double

Curragh - 14:10: Back Rathbranchurch E/W @ 11/112.00

Trainer Michael Mulvaney has sent out three winners in the last two weeks and two have won. Now I do treat that 67% strike-rate with more than a pinch of salt, but you like to see a yard in form and Mulvaney's Rathbranchurch is a big enough price to play each-way in the 6f 14:10.

At 11/112.00 we've got three places and Rathbranchurch is as tough as old boots with 19 runs in 2024, so he earned a winter break away from the Dundalk action.

This will be his first run of the season and he's gone fairly well in the past off a break with a placed effort in 2023 and fifth in a big field last term.

He's a prominent racer and did try to make the running at Naas towards the back-end of last season and clearly handles these big fields.

Off a mark of 70 with the excellent Wes Joyce claiming 5lb, he warrants enough interest.

Curragh - 15:45: Back Take Heart E/W @ 12/113.00

Traditionally, Johnny Murtagh's horses tend to be quite forward for the start of the season and Take Heart was a runner for the yard in this 12 months ago when he finished a disappointing tenth and down the field, but conditions last term for the race will be less demanding as it was heavy back then and today we could be looking at the soft drying out. 

Take Heart subsequently went on to have a good season with a big win at Goodwood in the Chesterfield Cup over 1m2f when beating Roger Varian's smart Enfjaar by a neck off 95. 

The decent ground suited him last summer as he also ran well at York and Cork - with the latter over 1m4f. 

Murtagh's grey didn't enjoy the best of starts in last year's renewal of the Irish Lincolnshire as he dwelt and was on the back foot, not ideal for a prominent racer. 

The draw was low then, and it's low once more today and a better beginning is required under Ben Coen. 

Clearly a red-hot handicap with chances everywhere but from 99, Take Heart showed himself to be a good handicapper last term and I don't have too many worries about him coming back down to 1m, espeically with pace on.  

February winners at BSP:

Saint Anapolino 4.61
Heathen 6.33
Terresita 3.38 (place)
Miss Cynthia 4.08
Lady Nunthorpe 8.78
Topgun Simmy (place) 4.44
My Brother Mike 3.12
Partisan Hero 2.94
Top Of The Class 2.78
Sir Rodneyredblood 4.4
King Of Ithaca 4.47

March winners at BSP:

Collusion 2.99
Lady Manzor 10.29
Mayo County 6.4
Puturhandstogether 13.71
Resplendent Grey (place) 3.41
Stumptown 4.07
Jordans (place) 3.30
Below The Radar (place) 3.7

Now read more tips and previews for Sunday here!