Andy Holding's Monday Racing Tips

OVERHEER (NAP) (best price 11-4) hasn’t exactly set the world alight in four starts so far, but there were more positive signs for the future on the evidence of his most recent effort at Tipperary and in a race that won’t take too much winning, Joseph Murphy’s gelding rates one of the more intriguing runners in the field.

No better than fifth in three maidens last season, the son of Heeraat was the subject of steady support on his handicap debut at the Limerick Junction venue and although the money in his direction was ultimately misplaced, there was enough encouragement in his performance to suggest those who parted with their cash hadn’t totally lost the plot. Slowly away and driven to keep in touch in the early stages, the four-year-old was still in last position as the field turned for home, but in putting in some sterling work inside the final three furlongs, he made eye-catching late gains to finish a seven-length fifth of the 12 runners. Moreover, the time figure, which suggested they had gone a good gallop throughout, meant he had to really work hard to earn that eventual finishing position and with connections keen to get him out again in a bid to keep him on the move while in reasonable shape, a better break this time around should result in him playing a more prominent role.

Wilderness represents a stable going through a real purple patch at present and following a comfortable win in the first-time visor at Gowran three days ago, she’s likely to be a popular choice in her follow up bid. Whether she will have things quite her own way here this afternoon is open to question and one of the most likely to cause her plenty of headaches is NEW VOCATION (best price 9-2). Similarly to the favourite, the daughter Vocalised likes to dominate, and having made most of the running over today’s C&D last time out, she only succumbed to the late thrust of the revitalised Will Be King in the closing stages. In pushing a strong pace, Michael Mulvany’s mare insured the speed figure was a very good one for the grade and with her levels of fitness likely to be at a greater height than many of her rivals due to her having two runs under her belt, she looks sure to give another solid account.

SPANISH STAR (best price 9-1) made a solid start to the new campaign in a competitive little heat at Newbury 11 days ago and he’s taken to build on that initial effort and go close to adding to his winning tally in this similar contest.

A three-time winner last season, Patrick Chamings’ gelding was also fairly consistent in the main and one of his main attributes is how well he often travels in his races. Seen going well towards the rear of the bunch at the Berkshire venue, the son of Requinto was produced with what appeared to be a fairly potent challenge at the furlong pole, but in the end he just ended up being a little short of room and he couldn’t quite see his race out as well as the fast-finishing Global Star, who rather dive-bombed him close home. Likely to be all the better for the run, the five-year-old returns to the scene of a track where he was a little unlucky on his one and only previous visit and with most of his best form coming when there’s been a bit of give underfoot, tonight’s forecast good-to-soft ground should be ideal. Whether tonight’s field end up staying towards the nearside fence or migrating down the middle where most of the winners last week ended up is hard to predict, but either way, he will no doubt be put to bed in the early part of the race and brought through with what will hopefully be a well-timed challenge late in the piece.