Andy Holding's Monday Racing Tips

CAPTAIN JACK (best price 11-2) had little chance of coping with the 129-rated and Betfair Hurdle-bound Zalvados at Ludlow last time out, but he was by no means disgraced at the Shropshire venue and now returning to a more realistic level of competition, he’s fancied to make his presence felt. Prior to that creditable effort 19 days ago, Richard Price’s inmate had chased home two useful sorts over today’s C&D in the shape of Court Liability and Stage Summit (both rated in the mid-120’s) and now he’s proven that he can also be fully effective on a soft surface as well as decent ground, the five-year-old doesn’t appear too badly treated on his return visit to the Midland venue off a reasonable mark of 108 on handicap debut.

Kim Bailey has enjoyed a real renaissance this season with several of his inmates edging their way towards the top bracket (First Flow and Vindication the pick of the bunch) and although ANOTHER VENTURE (NAP) (best price 11-4) isn’t quite in the big league just yet, some of his performances during this campaign suggest there he’s not far off being a proper potent force in some useful staying handicaps. Good enough to give the 140-rated Wotzizname (best Mount Mews on Saturday) a proper test at Exeter three starts ago at Exeter, the seven-year-old just failed to see out the marathon trip of 3m 6f when sent back to the West Country venue on his next start. Back among novice company on his most recent outing, the son of Stowaway got back into the groove when finally shedding his maiden tag over fences with a fine display of jumping and stamina at Chepstow, and with the time figure of the race indicating he’d run up to a very high standard for a horse of his grade, just a five-pound rise in the ratings doesn’t seem anywhere near enough to prevent him going in again. Indeed, if you compare his final circuit time at the Welsh track of 2.56.6, to that of Raz De Maree, who clocked 3.06.9 when he landed the Welsh National on the same card, it just highlights the pace he was going in the latter stages of that 3m event. Just as effective going right handed, the seven-year-old clearly gets on well with Micky Hamill and it will take a decent one to lower his colours if he’s anywhere the same sort of horse we saw 23 days ago.

CLONDAW RIGGER (best price 11-4) has really improved since going over fences and even though the handicapper has done his best in his bid to try and derail the six-year-old following his demolition job at Hereford last time out, the numbers he posted at the Midland venue suggest the assessor still might not be in the right ball park. Trapping along at fair pace from the start and, in particular the last circuit, Katy Price’s inmate not only posted the fastest time on the seven-race card, he managed to complete the final lap two seconds quicker than the 2m 3f handicap chase won by the 111-rated, Yorgonnahearmeroar – which is always a good sign of a solid race on the numbers. Clearly the wind issues which he had previously have been cleared up by new connections based on his last two outings, and given that he has very low mileage with the prospect of even more to come, he rates a decent bet against this field of largely exposed low-grade handicappers. 

DELLAGUISTA (best price 10-3) did really well to finish as close up as she did considering how the way the race panned out here last time and she’s worth another go to get back on the winning trail. Going into that contest at the Dunstall Park venue off the back of an impressive hat trick of wins, Tim Easterby’s inmate found herself fully ten lengths off the speed rounding off the home turn, so it was to her eternal credit that she managed to reduce the losing margin to a degree of respectability. Best at when coming off a strong pace, the only concern is that today’s race – with no confirmed front runner in the field – could become extremely tactical, but to be fair, it’s pretty much the same for every runner in the line-up and as she’s one of the best kickers of the sextet, hopefully her smart turn of foot will be seen to good effect.