Andy Holding's Monday Racing Tips

Granted, MELCHIOR KING (best price 5-1) has a little bit of an ungainly head carriage that might suggest he’s not the easiest of conveyances, but at the same time, there’s no doubting the ability he showed in a red-hot maiden hurdle at Newbury last time out and he rates as the rock-solid each-way alternative to the favourite, who finished ahead of him at the Berkshire track.

In a well-run affair 38 days ago, Philip Hobbs’ gelding impressed by the way he travelled throughout the contest before staying on nicely on the run-in to finish a never-nearer sixth for minimal pressure and that performance was a stark contrast to the one he offered up at Wincanton first time off the shelf this season. Clearly better suited by the stiffer examination he received on that occasion, today’s test should prove ideal and without suggesting he’s a good thing to reverse form with Severano, it would come as a surprise, however, if the son of Stowaway was a good deal more competitive throughout.

Dickie Diver could easily be another ex-pointer to go in at the first time of asking under rules from the Nicky Henderson production line, but DASHEL DRASHER (best price 15-8) sets a reasonable high enough standard to suggest he shouldn’t be totally forgotten in what could turn out to be an informative affair for many reasons.

A useful competitor in bumpers last season, Jeremy Scott’s gelding has shown a decent level of form since switching to hurdles and following encouraging efforts behind the likes of Kateson (third in Grade 1 Challow Hurdle since) and Bright Forecast (won at Leicester next time), he ran well again when mixing it up with a whole host of promising types at Newbury last time out. In a well-run affair at the Berkshire track, the son of Passing Glance kept on strongly all the way to the line to finish just behind a horse that ran respectably in Grade 1 company next time out and with today’s step up in trip and likely decent pace to aim at courtesy of Clondaw Anchor, the six-year-old looks booked to be bang on the scene for the fourth time in succession.

E/W DOUBLE - 1PT

ZAFARANAH (NAP) (best price 10-3) did well to overcome a wide draw over today’s C&D when last seen and she rates a fairly confident choice to repeat the dose what should hopefully turn out to be a better track position further up the field on her return to the Dunstall Park venue.

Nicely backed here 44 days ago despite finishing well down the field at Kempton the time before, punters were probably banking on Pam Sly’s mare being reignited by a return to her happy hunting ground and as it turned out, her backers were proved spot on. Dropped out the back by design from her outside post in gate 11, the daughter of Raven’s Pass was still in last place as the runners flashed passed the two-furlong pole, but with a devastating late surge, she mowed down her rivals in a fairly short space of time to get up in the shadows of the post. Looking at her numbers that day, and it not only revealed that she ran the fastest overall time on the eight-race card, her backend sectionals came out similar to those posted by the two sprint handicaps earlier in the night, so based on those findings it’s pretty clear the five-year-old has a smart turn of foot when required. Although there’s always a slight doubt that a small break may check her momentum, it’s encouraging to note that’s won before off an even longer layoff (133 days) and if she gets a decent pace to run at and the gaps appear at the right time off the home turn, she should have enough quality to beat a field of this fairly exposed nature.