Andy Holding's Monday Racing Tips

Connections of CHOOCHOOBUGALOO (NAP) (best price 15-8) have been left twiddling their thumbs since she scored in emphatic fashion at Kelso 43 days ago, but after missing engagements due to abandonments in the interim, she finally gets a chance to prove that win was no fluke and how well she’s still treated.

Having seemingly squandered a winning opportunity the time before at Newcastle, the seven-year-old was extremely well-backed to make up for that expensive defeat at the Gosforth Park venue and having travelled just as well for the second time in succession, this time she made no mistake. Not only was the overall time figure at the Borders venue better than the other 2m novice event on the card won by Encore Champs, but the final lap completed by Sam England’s mare was a staggering 2.7 seconds faster than horses deemed to be 130+ performers in their own category.

Moreover, considering the daughter of Rail Link never had to come out of third gear to achieved those numbers suggests she’s ridiculously well treated and even though she’s probably not one to trust implicitly due her waywardness off the bridle, the strong-traveling mare still should be capable of taking care of today’s field before working her way through further up the ranks.

THE FLYING SOFA (best price 10-11) split a pair of very smart novices over today’s C&D last time out and a repeat of that sort of effort should be good enough for him get off the mark over hurdles despite the possibility of newcomer Pentland Hills being above-average. 

Winner of a useful bumper at Fontwell last season, Gary Moore’s gelding made a promising start to life in his new discipline when a creditable third behind the smart Greanateen on his return visit to the Sussex track after a 319-days layoff and that initial experience gained clearly improved his performance levels of his effort here just over a week ago. In a keenly-contested affair, the six-year-old went hammer and tongues all the way to the line with the big two in the market and even though he was just run out of the argument close home by Acey Milan, a huge amount of encouragement can be taken out of that display.

Moreover, the time figure also suggested it was a pretty smart race of its kind and the experience of that sort of race under his belt, it would be slightly disappointing to see him not deliver the goods.

The form of the Dan Skelton team over the last few days is a little disconcerting for those of us that have been waiting for ARDLETHEN (best price 4-1) to run ever since he bolted up over today’s C&D last time out, but either way, he still should be good enough to make his presence felt despite that slight element of doubt. 

In what turned out to be a well-run affair at the Midland venue 56 days ago, the son of Arakan was noted always travelling best and in only having to be nudged out in the closing stages, he readily pulled clear of his field to post a decent speed figure. Although probably fighting a losing battle against one of his main rivals, Time For Rio, when falling at the last at Bangor the time before, that effort did come off the back of 185-day layoff and having clearly come forward from that initial outing based on his latest exploits, the former point winner is fancied to go close over a course that clearly suits.

The early vibes suggest that Nickolson could well be the real deal on his debut, but even so, he’s going to have to be fairly smart to lower the colours of previous winner ARION SKY (best price 3-1), who has gained quite a bit of useful experience already and, just as important, has a vital C&D win against her name. 

A promising third in a well-run affair on here debut at the Scottish track back in November, the daughter of Jeremy proved to be a bitter disappointment when racing back on home soil at Down Royal next time out, but that didn’t stop punters piling in on her on her return to these shores after a 68-day break. In a strongly-run affair by bumper standards, Gordon Elliot’s mare had the cruising speed to race nicely in behind the bridle throughout and when unleashed with her challenge approaching the wings of two out, she quickly sprinted away from her toiling rivals.

Clearly a useful sort with a decent turn of pace based on that effort, she also seems to have a good attitude to match and she seems a fair price given the long list of positives.