Andy Holding's Monday Racing Tips

Horses are amazing creatures of habit and YOUNGNEDOFTHEHILL (NAP) (best price 5-1) will hopefully prove that his tendency to come alive at this sharp, right-handed track once again comes to fruition.

One win in 31 suggests he’s not worth going overboard about, but it’s significant that his only career success and many others have come at the Co Mayo venue and following several reasonably promising performances by his standards on ‘away’ days, he looks primed to go well on his return to his happy stomping ground. A creditable fifth in a well-run handicap at Down Royal behind Party Playboy two starts ago signified he’s still got plenty of life in his legs despite his veteran status and he certainly wasn’t disgraced at Cork last time either when being held up off a slow pace didn’t suit. However, with form figures at tonight’s venue of 122U, it’s clear that for some reason he enjoys winging around these tight bends and with trip and conditions in his favour too, Shane Nolan’s gelding can go close to ending his trainer’s long, losing run.

ENGROSSED (best price 9-2) ran a good bit better than the bare result suggests over tonight’s course last time out and she’s given the nod whilst handled the opportunity to put the record straight on her return visit.

Well-supported to back up her previous solid effort over the same C&D, Martyn Meade’s filly immediately found herself behind the eight-ball as she was badly hampered and squeezed out on the run to the first bend. Recovering her equilibrium, she then had to endure a wide trip with no cover on the wing going down the back straight and rounding the home turn so it was no great surprise that she couldn’t quite see her race out all the way to the line. Clearly wel-suited by tonight’s course, the daughter of Tamayuz tries a new trip for the first time, but based on her run-style and pedigree, she’s likely to improve for the extra yardage and if that proves to be the case, she should take high rank against similar opponents to what she’s been facing of late.

BUG BOY (best price 4-1) ran out a convincing winner for the first time in 12 starts at Ffos Las last time out and having also run well over tonight’s the time before, he rates a confident choice to keep himself and his in-form handler right in the zone.

Once again slowly away at the Welsh track, the son of Big Bad Bob found himself with quite a bit to do as the field swung for home, but coming with a long, withering run down the outside in the straight, he gradually picked off his rivals one by one to go on a record a cosy success. Previously, the three-year-old had also run well over tonight’s C&D when runner-up to the useful Oydis and given that performance was achieved despite receiving a brutal trip out wide for much of the journey, his effort deserved upgrading. Returning to the scene of that fine display in the rudest of health and hailing from a stable who’s had a two winners in the last week, Bug Boy looks a safe bet to hit the frame at the very least. The unexposed Waterfront representing an in-form stable and jockey combination looks the main threat based on his run over tonight’s course last time.