Andy Holding's Monday Racing Tips

LORD HALIFAX (NAP) (best price 11-4) shaped with plenty of promise on his second start at Windsor last time out and with another step forward likely to be forthcoming, Charlie Fellows’ colt can strike at the third time of asking.

Never placed to challenge on debut at the Berkshire, it seemed the Famous Name gelding was going to tread a similar path on his return visit a month lately as he turned for home in an unpromising position, but a strong late run into fourth showed that he’d learnt plenty from that initial outing and the ability was there to match his looks. Based on his performance 21 days ago, today’s extra two furlongs should suit and hailing from a yard are in a rich vein of form at present, the three-year-old can figure prominently in a race that lacks any great strength in depth.

AGAR’S PLOUGH (best price 6-1) has yet to win in 15 starts, but he’s shown on both outings this season that it’s surely only a matter of time before he opens his account and today’s contest offers a decent opportunity to do just that.

A big eye-catcher on his seasonal return over today’s course back in April, Mick Easterby’s gelding was understandably well-fancied to vindicate the impression he created that day and although he managed to turn in an improved performance, he unfortunately still came up just a little short. That said, the four-year-old at least proved that he stayed the 1m2f journey well and now returning to the scene of his previous unlucky effort, he’s fancied to go well in the hands of the best lady pilot in the field.

Plenty of regular visitors to the Berkshire venue on show in this tricky sprint handicap but UDONTDODOU (best price 6-1) has stronger credentials than some and, as a result, he makes the most appeal at the morning odds.

A strong-finishing third at Chelmsford two starts ago over six furlongs, Richard Guest’s six-year-old unsurprisingly found the drop back down in trip not playing into his strengths on his return visit on his latest outing, but he impressed again by the way he came home from the back of the field and it at least went some way to highlight his current wellbeing. A cosy winner of the final of this series last year, one would imagine that connections have mapped out a campaign surrounding that race back here in August as his main target, and today’s contest, under his optimum conditions looks well within his capabilities on the pick of his best form on route.