Andy Holding's Monday Racing Tips

OVERBURY PRINCE (best prince 13-2) looked all over the winner in a beginners chase at Cork the other day only for his effort peter out in the closing stages, but he certainly showed enough that day to suggest he has a race within his compass now re-joining the professional ranks.

A smooth winner of a point-to-point previously, the 12-year-old travelled conspicuously well at the Co Mallow venue nine days ago, but after sweeping to the front going best of all turning for home, the combination of jumping to the right and the late rally of Bridies Boy proven his undoing from the second last. That said, he showed far more ability than a horse rated 87 and even though this task represents a totally different skill-set now back over hurdles, Terence O’Brien’s gelding still makes plenty of appeal at the morning prices.

MORTENS LEAM (best price 6-1) seems to have been given a new lease of life since joining current connections and having shown a liking for today’s track twice in recent times, Michael Hawker’s seven-year-old has to be worth a small interest to see whether he can add to his winning tally. A frustrating character when in the care of Pam Sly, often flattering to deceive, the son of Sulamani ran out a convincing winner back in November and then following a modest run at Uttoxeter in between, he bounced back to form when returning to the Sussex venue a month later. Always moving sweetly, he never came out of third gear that day and although he went through his latest encounter in a similar vein, ultimately the 3m 3f trip ended up being his undoing rather than his revised mark. Back to his happy hunting ground under optimum conditions, this smooth-travelling performer is fancied to provide his supporters with a fun-filled five and a half minutes.

BOLLIHOPE (NAP) (best price 11-10) posted some exceptionally good numbers for a horse of his rating when scoring over tonight’s C&D last time out and it’s simply looks a question of whether he’s in the same sort of shape a week on from that demolition job.

Having his first start for new connections and off the back of a 304-day break, Shaun Keightley’s gelding travelled extremely strongly throughout in what turned out to be a well-run affair and once pulled out into the clear turning for home, he fairly scampered clear of his rivals who just simply could match his turn of foot. Clocking an impressive 1.36.9 for the circuit and 23.3 from the two-pole (Hermocrates 1.39.3 and 25.1 over the same C&D), only the 107-rated Hathal went quicker on the round track seven days ago, and having bagged the favourable inside draw in stall one, a clean break will allow him to adopt a ground-saving run around the fence similar to last week and it should lead to the result being the same.