Andy Holding's Monday Racing Tips

DON LOGAN (NAP) (best price 7-4) hasn’t yet won a race, but that surely won’t last too long based on his latest effort at Pontefract and today could well be his day to strike. Showing promise in his first three starts, Richard Fahey’s colt was given a workable mark of 66 for handicap debut at the Yorkshire track last time out and although he didn’t quite manage to exploit that opening assessment, he certainly gave it all he had from his unfavourable draw. Stuck out on the wing in stall 9 of 9, the son of Kyllachy had to use up plenty of petrol just to get over and across to drawn upside his main market rival, Lincoln Park, in the early stages, and even though that manoeuvre would have drained quite a bit of energy, he still found extra reserves to go toe-to-toe with the eventual winner all the way to the line. Clearly that effort was a good deal better one that the bare result suggests and even though the handicapper has raised him an extra 2lbs, his new mark surely has no resemblance to what he actually achieved 21 days ago and he’s stronger fancied to prove that here this afternoon.

COOL COLANNADE (best price 9-4) is by no means one of Willie Mullins’ superstars, but he’s run perfectly respectably in defeat on his last two starts and there’s no reason why he won’t go well again here. A ready winner at Sligo back in July, the son of Requinto could only find the one pace behind his more illustrious stable mate, Easy Game, at the Galway Festival on his next outing and he went on to occupy the same position back at the same venue last time out. Once again, up against a decent standard of opponent, the four-year-old performed as well as could be expected and with the time figure useful and the fourth horse, Petit Tartar, going on to frank the form yesterday, he has the qualities to put up a bold show under ideal conditions.

Although better known for his chasing exploits, JUST A NORMAL DAY (best price 15-2) ran perfectly respectively over hurdles at Downpatrick last time out and he rates solid each-way material at a track he’s gone well in the past. Having his first outing for new connections, Di Love’s gelding didn’t do much wrong at the Co Down venue, he just had the misfortune to bump into a horse in the shape of Muroor, who always takes off once the finishing hill comes into view, and he had to settle for a gallant second. Prior to that honest performance, the eight-year-old found plenty of pressure on the run-in when landing a well-run 2m handicap chase over today’s course and with plenty of another notable efforts behind him under a variety of conditions under his belt, it’s hard to see him not going well with so much in his favour.

Best Not Argue arrives here in great nick and there’s no denying she’s the one to beat, but CANARY ROW (best price 10-1) is a pretty reliable old stick in these sort of races at today’s track and he can put his vital experience to good use at more rewarding odds. Although he’s yet to register a win this season, Paddy Prendergast’s gelding has run some notable races in defeat and his latest effort when running on strongly to capture fourth place close home in a competitive affair at Leopardstown suggests he’s still got a great appetite for the game. A slightly unlucky sixth in the big 7f handicap at the Festival here back in August, the son of Holy Roman Emperor can boast several other pieces of quality form at today’s track that give him a big chance of going close this afternoon, and from his favourable inside draw, the eight-year-old might just be able to roll back the years.

GRASPING AT STRAWS (best price 16-1) has yet to get off the mark in five starts so far, but she has shaped with plenty of promise on several occasions and she looks way overpriced on the pick of her best form. A big eye-catcher over today’s course when a staying-on sixth behind the very smart Astronomer in a hot maiden at the Festival back in August, the daughter of Tough Of Nails was then slightly unlucky on her next two outings, not getting a clear run at Tipperary before being denied on the line at Tramore. Stuck in the mud ay Gowran on her next, Michael Mulvany’s filly ran a good deal better on her return to the Co Kilkenny venue last time out on nicer ground when she ran on well in the latter stages of an ultra-competitive fillies’ handicap to finish a never-nearer fifth. In what was a deep race just six days ago, she managed to finish ahead of the likes of previous winners this season, Rickrack (rated 94), Bianca Minola (80) and The Last Indian (75) and repeat of that level of performance should be good enough to see this scopey filly to run way better than the market suggests.