Andy Holding's Monday Racing Tips

It was hard to tell what the full story was with HOLY TIBER’s (best price 11-1) performance at Wolverhampton last time out, but either way, she rates an interesting contender on her return to the scene of her most recent victory (albeit on a disqualification). Held up seemingly going as well as anything coming out of the back straight at the Dunstall Park venue six days ago, Paul Howling’s filly was then subjected to what can only be described as an odd ride from that point onwards. Although you’d have to concede she was a little short of room at times, regular pilot Joey Haynes also appeared to be doing quite a lot of flapping and not much pushing and, as a result, the daughter of Holy Roman Emperor finished her race of full of running to leave the impression she would have gone close with a more positive ride (video replay worth watching to back up this view). Despite seven-furlongs being her distance of choice in recent times, it’s worth pointing out she has plenty of useful form over shorter and from what looks to be a fairly favourable draw here this afternoon, the four-year-old has more going for her than her morning odds suggest.

SILVER QUAY (NAP) (best price 12-5) was once a 97-rated performer on the Flat for Richard Hannon so he’s always had a touch of quality and while it’s taken him plenty of time to adjust to life under his new code, his victory over today’s C&D suggested not only that the penny has finally dropped, but he’s capable of repeating the dose now he seems to have got his act together.

Having raced at today’s West Country venue on his previous three starts, the son of Dark Angel arrived here on his most recent outing with back catalogue of solid placed efforts and on the evidence of what we witnessed 16 days ago, the knowledge he’d gathered certainly did him no harm. Always moving well in the hands of Bryony Frost, the seven-year-old readily pulled clear of his 15 rivals in the closing stages and with his pilot affording the luxury of being able to ease her mount down in the dying strides, it’s hard to know how much the grey gelding had in hand. Hopefully, he ships up here today in a similar frame of mind and he can dish out the same sort of performance. Clearly, Sky Full Of Stars rates the main threat, but as most of his best form seems to have come at Fontwell and he’s also 0-4 going right-handed, Chris Gordon’s gelding might not be as fully effective over today’s track as his main market rival.

Arcanada likes to dictate matters from the front, but with Michele Strogoff in the field, things might not be that simply for Tom Dascombe’s charge, so with that in mind, it may pay to look towards HATHAL (best price 4-1) who is one of the two confirmed hold-up performers who arrives here with a recent run under his belt.

Following two creditable efforts on the all-weather this winter, Jamie Osbourne’s seven-year-old was found what looked to be a decent opportunity on paper to get the three-year losing run off his back and without the minimum fuss, he justified his position in the market. Off the back of a well-run affair set by his old rival Michele Strogoff, the son of Speightstown breezed to the front just over a furlong out and without being subjected to a particularly forceful ride, he came readily clear late on. The fact that he appeared to really take to the surface at the first time of asking is another positive in his direction and even though market leader Oh This Is Us has a classier profile and better overall form, his 106-day absence just slightly tempers enthusiasm at a short price.