Andy Holding's Monday Racing Tips

There are many things in life that are fairly predictable, such as an England Ashes defeat in Australia and a steamy affair for one of the couples on Strictly Come Dancing and another is rarely a day goes by when Nigel Twiston-Davies doesn’t train a winner, so with that in mind, ROBINSHILL (NAP) (best price 5-2) is fancied to keep up that tremendous record at a track that suits him best. Unlucky not to score on his first visit to the picturesque Shropshire venue two starts ago when falling at the last (nicely clear), the son of Robin Des Champs made amends two weeks later by capturing a similar prize in the style of an improving novice. The way he kept on strongly in the latter stages off the back of sound fractions suggests he’s very much at home pinging away around this sharp track and even though he faces some stiff-looking competition in the shape of Chirico Vallis, his valuable course knowledge will hopefully tip the balance of power in his favour.

VOLT FACE (best price 6-1) may have disappointed those who forced him down to 11-8 favouritism at Sedgefield last time out, but in mitigation, he was extremely unlucky to bump into two well above-average novices at the Durham venue and he’s afforded another chance to atone. The feature of that race 25 days ago was the very strong pace throughout and although the son of Kapagrde did his level best to keep up with the front pair, he just didn’t have the pace around the sharp nature of the track to keep tabs in the latter stages. Returning to the scene of his previous effort when second to the improving and subsequent Ascot winner, Exitas (may have won but for a bad peck at the last), Charlie Longsdon’s inmate looks sure to go well with an attacking ride from the front over a trip that should suit (should get an uncontested lead).

Considering the ground was totally against NUMBER ONE LONDON (best price 6-1) last time out at Carlisle, Tim Vaughan’s inmate did remarkably well to run as well as he did at the Cumbrian venue and now returning a much better surface, the seven-year-old is expected to go well again. Prior to that excellent effort 32 days ago, the Invincible Spirit gelding had been bit unlucky to bump into two well-handicapped sorts in the shape of Zamoyski and Sissinghurst on his previous starts and with his time figures pointing to the fact he always seems to run up to a decent standard, he rates a decent each-way bet at his top morning odds.

GOOD MAN PAT (best price 3-1) faced a growing problem last time out many horses have encountered this season, coming out second best in a tussle with a tough-nut from the Ben Pauling stable, but he certainly lost nothing in defeat and he rates a decent bet to go one place better off what looks a fair mark on handicap debut. Sent off the venue money favourite at the Midland track, Alan King’s charge looked like he was bound to justify this market position going down to the last given the way he travelled, but try as he might, he just couldn’t get past the winner on the run-in, who kept on pounding out the fractions in determined fashion. That said, the son of Gold Well pulled nicely clear of the third, and with the time figure of the race indicating he’d run up to a pretty high standard in defeat, he should easily have the requirements for this examination over a trip that should suit, also.