Andy Holding's Monday Racing Tips

CAPANANNTY CON (best price 9-2) has been holding his form together pretty well on turf of late, but there’s a decent chance he can excel himself once again now he returns to a track and surface that has served really well in the past. Runner-up to the useful Juan Horsepower on his first visit to the Dunstall Park venue, Dean Ivory’s inmate backed up that effort with a deserved victory the next time he set foot on the tapeta surface. Well-backed to duplicate that performance two months later, the grey just failed to land the gamble when going down by a narrow margin to the useful all-weather horse Lord George, but at least it confirmed he can mix it against Class 4 company. Slightly back down in grade today following another decent effort on the all-weather at Kempton last time out, the son of Zebedee – who can take a bit of a grip – will hopefully get the strong run race he requires to be at his best.

Although this may only be an amateur rider race, make no mistake this is one of the most keenly-contested and sought-after prizes of the week and there will be no quarter asked or given in this 2m 1f event. Amazingly though for a staying contest, the draw often plays a significant role in the outcome and with the likes of the well-fancied Automated, Ezanak, Lagostovegas, Miles To Memphis and Powersbomb all stuck out on the wing, the bang-in-form SWAMP FOX (NAP) (best price 15-2) looks handily placed to take advantage. Winner of this race last year from stall 18, connections have clearly targeted this contest for some time and he couldn’t arrive here in better shape either having landed a valuable and competitive handicap hurdle at the Killarney July Festival only 11 days ago. Always going well at the Co Kerry venue. Joe Murphy’s inmate stayed on very strongly in the latter stages to pull readily clear of his field and with the time figure he posted that evening exceptionally good, he clearly ran to a pretty high standard. Prior to that smart effort, he’s also proved he stays 2m 4f well nowadays by beating subsequent winner Polar Present in another useful handicap and both victories went along way to further cement the partnership with amateur pilot Barry Browne who is now 3-4 on the son of Windsor Knot. Much better drawn this year in stall 7, he should be able to work into a decent early position and given the way he quickened up the hill twelve months ago, it will take a useful horse to stop him once he’s in full cry.

Of those at a bigger price, BENKEI (22-1) also makes plenty of appeal and he’s worth a small saver just in case the main selection doesn’t get a clear run or just fails to fire. No Match for Swamp Fox in this race last season, Harry Roger’s charge has failed to win in 13 subsequent starts, but he has run some creditable races in defeat such as last time out in a listed prize at Down Royal just three days ago. Keeping on well in the closing stages, the Galileo gelding finished a never-nearer fourth behind The Tartan Spartan and that was a miles better effort than the one which witnessed him labour behind Tigris River at the Curragh a month earlier. Yet to finish out of the first three in all for visits to Ballybrit (3213), there’s no reason why the seven-year-old won’t go well again from his favourable inside draw.

PEARL OF THE WEST (best price 11-1) improved significantly for a step up to 1m 4f last time out at Gowran and that stamina will hopefully come into play here this evening as she takes on a competitive field in this open-looking three-year-old handicap. Headed over a furlong out by Dermot Weld’s highly-regarded Frima at the Kilkenny venue, Pat Fahy’s inmate battled back in tenacious fashion to get the better of the argument close home and with her time figure indicating she’d posted her best set of numbers so far to date, she should have some sort of chance of going close here off her current mark if she handles the track.