Andy Holding's Monday Racing Tips

MAGNA MORALIA (best price 11-4) didn’t manage to lay a glove on Dubai Souq at Nottingham last time out, but given that the speed figure was exceptionally good and the rest were strung out like Monday morning washing, it was a performance that entitles John Quinn’s colt maximum respect in this slightly weaker-looking event.

Right from the outset at the Midland venue 12 days ago, the pace was extremely fast and with the winner somehow managing to maintain that strong gallop all the way to the line, it was left for the son of Gregorian to pick up the pieces and run on best of all to finish a very creditable second. Of those in behind, the likes of Galaside, Duke Of Condicote and Green Book all had very compelling and strong claims beforehand, so the fact the two-year-old grey managed to beat that trio fair and square suggests he’s done well to come out of that contest on exactly the same mark. Looking at his breeding and action, plenty of give in the ground doesn’t seem to inconvenience his performances levels too much and with the runners likely to stick to the inside fence for the first race at the least, stall one should give him a ground-saving advantage next to the fence.

REGULAR INCOME (best price 7-1) had to sit and suffer when last week’s meeting here was abandoned due to heavy rain, but unluckily everything looks set fair action this afternoon and Adam West’s inmate should prove to be in his element under the testing conditions.

A little in-and-out at times, its noticeable, however, that all his best performances have derived from a soft underfoot surface and that proved to be the case again last time out at Nottingham. Set with a stiff task turning for home, the son of Fast Company did some good late work to finish a never-nearer fourth behind Deinonychus and with the time figure very good for the grade and the winner going on to boost the form of the race next time, it’s clear trying to give Michael Appleby’s in-form eight-year-old nearly two stone was an impossible task. Hailing from a yard who had a couple of nice winners last week, the four-year-old can keep his form figures of 3315114 on soft or heavy ground intact. Conversely, favourite here, Data Protection, who arrives here in good form has finishing positions of 8 of 10, 7 of 8, and 5 of 6 when the ground has been genuinely soft so that’s worth bearing in mind when William Muir’s gelding takes a decent chunk out of the market.

Some nice staying types go to post here and of those who’ve already shown a preference for a testing of stamina on the ground, WYCLIFF (best price 3-1) makes the most appeal at the morning odds.

A wide-margin and impressive winner on debut at Doncaster on soft ground despite missing the break and running green throughout, Ralph Beckett’s charge went and gave away too much ground with another slow beginning at Leicester next time out, but this time he couldn’t recover the lost deficit and he had to settle for a minor role. For the third time on the spin, the son of Archipenko was tardy out of the gates at York on his latest outing, but this time, the long, galloping nature of the Knavesmire helped him pull off an unlikely victory as he gradually got on top late on. Although he’ll probably be a snail out of the traps again, at least today’s stiff track over an extra furlong should provide him with sufficient recovery time and hailing from a stable on fire at present, this likeable, if not slightly quirky youngster receives a confident vote.

TEASE MAID (NAP) (best price 5-1) may only have a rating of 60, but she has vital course knowledge which is often so important on this surface and she’s strongly fancied to press home that advantage against several sexier types who could find this a culture shock.

Third on her first visit to the Midland venue back in April, John Quinn’s filly was then heavily involved in a proper tear-up on her return trip to the C&D three starts ago when she kept on well late on to finish a never-nearer third behind the massively in-form Queen Of Kalahari. Not surprisingly given the time figure the winner posted, most of those in behind that day have gone on to boost the form and the daughter of Heeraat did so herself by chasing home the same horse again her last time out. Driving along and behind here 11 days ago, the 11-race maiden kept on extremely strongly in the closing stages to stare down the winner late on and with here stamina and willingness to find plenty for pressure her key attributes, it’s hard to see her not making the frame at the very least.