Andy Holding's Monday Racing Tips

SERIOUS EGO (best price 5-1) won with any amount in hand at Leopardstown last time out and under similar conditions here this afternoon, Gordon Elliot’s inmate is fancied to repeat the dose. Tried over a variety of trips and all types of ground this season, the son of Noroit has disappointed his connections on several occasions, but the combination of a well-run affair over two miles and testing conditions seemed to bring about a massive improvement.

Always travelling well in a race run at a sound clip throughout, the six-year-old never came off the bridle to record a resounding success and then if you add into the equation his final lap time which was 1.4 seconds quicker than Zero Ten in the preceding novice hurdle (Emmet Mullins thinks he’s a Graded horse in the making), it makes the performance even more meritorious.

Although his regular pilot, Davy Russell, isn’t in the plate this afternoon, replacement Denis O’Regan has a lot of similar qualities to his fellow Irishman and even though the six-year-old races off a 13lb higher mark, the information gathered off his latest exploits suggests that impost won’t be enough to stop him from following up if in the same form.

Having bolted up in a fast time figure over hurdles last time out, this would seem a strange decision by connections of DARASSO (best price 7-4) to send their charge back over fences at this stage of his career, but it’s worth pointing out that he’s is 2-2 over fences during his time in France so it’s probably not as big a risk as at first feared. 

Taking a while to adjust to life in his new surroundings, Joseph O’Brien’s gelding finally showed what he could do at Gowran last time out, when off the back of a very strongly-run two miles, he stayed on extremely well in the latter stages to win going away. Prior to that improved effort, the son of Konig Turf had run with great credit over a trip that just stretched his stamina in the Grade 3 Galmoy Hurdle at the same track and being the type who has the size and scope to make an even bigger impact over the larger obstacles, today’s contest should tell us what kind of future lies ahead for this exciting recruit. 

KAVANAGHS CORNER (NAP) (best price 2-1) scored with more in hand than the official margin suggested here last time out and he’s strongly fancied to repeat the dose at a track that he clearly enjoys. On the two occasions Simon Earle’s gelding has shipped up at the West Country venue, he’s been quite impressive and that was very much the case again 13 days ago. In a well-run affair over 2m3f, the son of Coroner was noted going well from a long way out and with Tom Scudamore exuding plenty of confidence in the saddle, he produced his mount with a well-timed challenge after the last.

Just nudged out hands and heels on the run-in, the 10-year-old readily accounted for the consistent Vivaccio without being resorted to a vigorous ride and with the runner-up going on to boost the form with a win at Huntingdon last week, the result now looks a totally believable one. Moreover, his winning time figure and final circuit sectionals were the best of the three chase races on the card that day and given that he now takes a drop down in grade, it’s just a question of whether he’s recovered in time in order to run to the same level.