Andy Holding's Monday Racing Tips

The race won by Jovial at Yarmouth a month ago was highlighted by its smart speed figure, so both CHARMING SPIRIT (best price 9-2) and CLEVER CANDY (best price 22-1) are worth playing against the field to fly the flag for that particular contest run at the seaside track.

The former came out best of the pair 29 days ago and probably deserves top weight on the balance of her form and profile. Although well beaten at Kempton subsequently, the combination of being up against a smart bunch of juveniles and the seven-furlong trip proved a bridge too far, but now back down in distance and in seemingly much calmer waters, Roger Varian’s filly puts a classy spin on proceedings.

The latter shaped really well in that aforementioned heat when last seen and she looks an interesting contender off a bargain basement mark of just 60. Not knocked about in anyway, she came home with plenty of purpose and she looks a big price consider the kind of talent she’s been taking on compared to today’s.

BIGGER AND BETTER (NAP) (best price 11-2) ran about as well as could be expected from a desperate draw at the Listowel Festival last time out and he’s regarded as a strong choice to return to winning ways having bagged a much more favourable stall position towards the inside rail.

Having shaped as though the run would do him good at Gowran on his first run for 186 days back in August, Tony Martin’s gelding was surprisingly easy to back on his return visit to the Co Kenny venue a month later, but as the saying goes, he didn’t know what price he was and he went on to score with a considerable amount in hand. Up a whopping 11lb for that romp, the son of Fastnet Rock ended up getting completely thrown under the bus by bagging the coffin box outside draw of a 15-strongf field but in staying on best of all to finish a creditable runner-up to the massively in-form Franklyn, the six-year-old proved that he’s still right on top of his game. Although up to now most of his best efforts have come over a mile, he certainly doesn’t lack for pace and with today’s ever-deteriorating conditions likely to put just as much emphasis on stamina, another bold show looks on the cards.

METIER (best price 6-1) really came of age judged on his wide-margin success at Gowran last time out and even though the handicapper was well within his rights to try and derail the progress of Andrew Slattery’s colt, he’s worth keeping on side until told otherwise.

Slightly disappointing when not seeing out the 1m4f trip at Down Royal the time before, the son of Mastercraftsman proved a totally different proposition over two furlongs less 40 days ago and with the runner-up, Bashiyr going on to win twice subsequently, the form looks fairly water-tight. Likely to be ridden fairly positively once again, the slow underfoot conditions - which seem likely this afternoon – should also play into his strengths.