Andy Holding's Monday Racing Tips

UNPLUGGED (NAP) (best price 7-2) has caught the eye in several above-average novice events and he rates an extremely interesting runner on his first attempt in handicap company off what appears a fairly workable mark.

Bogged down by the deep surface at Southwell on his debut, Andrew Balding’s charge created a better impression next time out Chelmsford when he came from a long way back in a strongly run and classy three-year-old contest to finish a respectable eighth of the 16-strong field. Contesting his first race on turf last time out at Windsor, the Alhebayeb colt seemed to handle the testing conditions well enough and in running a good deal better than his finishing position suggested, he seems to have got away with fairly generous rating of just 69 considering the kind of company he’s been keeping.

The victory of both Advertise and Cadre Du Noir last week proven conclusively that Martyn Meade’s horses seem to be through the testing period they had a month or so ago, and FOX VARDY (best price 5-2) could turn out to be another winner for the Wiltshire handler if he can run to a similar level he achieved at Salisbury last time out.

Just showing a modicum of promise in two starts as a juvenile, the son of Frankel made his seasonal debut in a 12f maiden at the Wiltshire venue 13 days ago and in finishing a creditable third to the highly-impressive winner, Mankayan (was entered to run in the Queens Vase at Royal Ascot), he exhibited the first real signs of improvement. Although no match for the winner, he impressed by the way he kept on well late on and with the speed figure of the race indicating it was an above-average affair for a race of that nature, an opening handicap mark of 77 looks more than workable.

Quite a few promising types go to post for this three-year-old handicap and GUANDI (best price 14-1) rates among one of the more intriguing runners. Not good enough or streetwise to cope with the potentially top-class Fox Chairman on debut at Newbury, Tom Dascombe’s colt then has the misfortune to bump into another King Power Racing incumbent in the shape of Hero Hero at Chester a month later. Well-backed for his latest start at Haydock, the son of Declaration Of War couldn’t quite live up to expectations that evening, but at the same time, he did keep on well enough to finish a creditable fifth and he’s ended up receiving a mark that gives him plenty of scope for the future in his new discipline. Upped to a trip now more in-keeping with his pedigree, the chestnut colt probably deserves more respect than the bare figures allow.

The solid one down the front end of the market is KORCHO (best price 7-2) and he’s a must for any shortlist based on his overall form and time figures. Just below the standard of an extremely warm London Gold Cup at Newbury two starts ago, proper testing conditions ended up finding him out at Haydock last time out. However, Hughie Morrison’s colt did score in ready fashion over tonight’s C&D back in April on much better ground and a repeat of that performance on his return visit to the Berkshire track should see him bang on the premises.