Andy Holding's Monday Racing Tips

OH’HEREWEGO (best price 8-1) has really turned his career around in recent times and following yet another polished performance at the Listowel festival last time out, there’s no reason to desert the nine-year-old while he’s in the form of his life.

A long-standing maiden, Val O’Brien’s gelding was knocked at the door on quite a few occasion during last Spring so it didn’t come as massive surprise when finally managed to break his duck on his final outing of the season at Ballinrobe. Looking badly in need of the run off the back of a 91-day break over the same C&D in August, the son of Medaaly was able to see the trip out well after travelling with his usual verve at the Co Kerry venue last time out and with the numbers that he posted that day suggesting it was a pretty smart effort by this improving chestnut, he rates a fairly confident choice to be there or thereabouts once again. 

Although beaten fair and square by the main selection at the Co Kerry venue, SILVER PLANEUR (best price 12-1) is dangerous to write off completely and is worth a small saver. Having her first run back since February, she was entitled to need the run 24 days ago and that appeared to be the case as she blew up before running on strongly in the latter stages to finish a never-nearer fourth. Sure to strip fitter for that outing, Eric McNamara’s mare stays well and has enough solid form in races of this nature to be a major consideration at double-figure odds.

VIVE LE ROI (NAP) (best price 9-2) is certainly going to be nowhere near the 14-1 forecast price in the Racing Post today, but either way, he’s definitely still worth an interest to back up his previous course win.

Just outstayed over 2m 7f the time before by the improving Silk Run at Bangor (just about got home), Tony Carroll’s gelding appreciated the drop back in trip when scored over half a mile shorter over today’s course last time out. The feature of that performance was the way he travelled before powering clear in the closing stages, and with his final circuit time 3.1 seconds quicker than the big 2m handicap hurdle on the card won by 132-rated Innocent Touch, it just looks a simple case of whether he can preserve that sort of speed now that he steps back up in distance on his return visit to the Midland venue this afternoon.

SECRET RETURN (best price 15-2) has been a model of consistency throughout her short career and following another sound performance at Goodwood last time out, another solid effort looks on the cards from Karen George’s mare.

A winner at Leicester four starts ago, the daughter of Roderic O’Connor was only just denied on her follow-up bid over today’s C&D next time out and following a slightly below-par display at Sandown next time out, she bounced back to something like her best form last time out. Dropped out the back by Jamie Spencer, the five-year-old couldn’t quite make up the deficit in the latter stages, but given how strong the speed figure was that day (best on the card by some way), it was probably a better effort than at first thought and likely to be given another seat-of-pants ride by the Irishman this afternoon, hopefully she can be played just at the right moment this time around.

ZESHOV (best price 7-1) went into more pockets than a snooker ball at Beverley last time out and is taken to gain compensation for that desperately unlucky effort. Noted travelling well just in behind the speed as the field turned for home at the Yorkshire track, Rebecca Bastiman’s seven-year-old unfortunately was taken down a blind alley by his pilot and it meant that the first two home got first run and he had little chance of recovering in such a short space of time thereafter. The way he finished off his race once in the clear, however, heavily suggested he would have won with a clear run and taking that view and looking at his price this afternoon, he rates a value bet to back up that theory.