Andy Holding's Monday Racing Tips

MAGICAL MAX (best price 9-2) arrives here the only unbeaten runner in the field and even though he hasn’t had a run for 341 days and lacks a bit of experience in a race of this nature, he has the quality to match some of today’s more exposed rivals over a trip that should suit his run style.

Sent off 20-1 on his debut in a competitive maiden at York this time last year, Mark Walford’s gelding belied his market position with a performance that combined plenty of tenacity as well as quality and with the time figure also giving the race a huge thumbs-up, connections must have been delighted with the way he went about his work. Understandably much shorter in the betting despite carrying a penalty in a novice event at Thirsk on his next start, the son of Coach House once again showed his battling qualities to fend off a series of challengers’ close home and that’s the last we saw of him until now. Hopefully somewhere near his best on his return to the fray, the useful three-year-old doesn’t appear to have an opening mark that is too penal and with today’s sharp five-furlongs set to play into his strengths, he has enough natural ability to uphold his unbeaten record.

JUST HUBERT (best price 9-2) had the misfortune to bump into some high-class three-year-olds last season, but he managed to acquit himself with great credit on more than several occasions and he looks an interesting staying project going forward.

His first step into the breach was when he came across Logician in a Newbury handicap and although he couldn’t match the subsequent St Leger winner in the latter stages, he did more than enough to suggest brighter times were ahead. Backing up that view with two subsequent victories at Sandown and Ripon, William Muir’s gelding then went on to run a blinder in the ultra-competitive Melrose Handicap at York won by Hamish, where he finished ahead of many improving three-year-old stayers in a respectable fifth. A game success at Musselburgh followed, proving that he gets two miles really well, and although his form rather tapered off on his final two outings, he still remains an interesting staying project with another winter under his belt. Hailing from a yard who have started the campaign well with one winner and six placed horses from 11 runners last week, the son of Dunaden returns to action off what appears a fair enough mark and he makes plenty of appeal at the morning odds.

DUKE OF CONDICOTE (best price 6-1) gave the distinct impression several times last season that he would do much better with more time under his belt and he rates an interesting contender in his first outing of the campaign off what looks a feasible mark.

Promising in several maidens to begin his career, including an eye-catching effort at Goodwood in September, Alan King’s three-year-old was heavily-supported to make a winning handicap debut at Nottingham and although he ran perfectly respectably, he left the impression he was hating the rain-soaked ground. Subsequently gelded over the winter, it would come as no surprise to see this rangy individual come on in heaps and bounds during his second season and with today’s better conditions and step up in trip sure to suit, the son of No May Never rates an intriguing contender.