Andy Holding's Monday Racing Tips

SIRE DU BERLAIS (NAP) (best price 5-2) made the expected leap forward from handicaps into Graded company with a cosy success at Navan on his seasonal return and with that victory setting up an obvious path towards the Stayers Hurdle at Cheltenham in March, he receives a confident vote to maintain his relentless surge to the top of the tree in this division. 

As documented many times over, his win in the Pertemps Final over stable mate The Storyteller was one of the best races at the Festival in terms of pure numbers – especially when compared to the Stayers Hurdle itself on the same card – so it seemed obvious that Gordon Elliott’s gelding would be given the chance to prove himself against the very best outside of handicap company this term. Beginning his campaign in the Lismullen Hurdle a month ago, the son of Poliglote was easy to back beforehand, with many believing the 2m4f journey would be an insufficient test following a 241-day break, but as it turned out, he blew a huge raspberry in the direction of his doubters by running out a comfortable winner. The mere fact he managed to score over an inadequate trip says a good deal about his current state of mind more than anything else and now stepping back up his optimum three miles, this terrier-like eight-year-old who never takes no as an answer, can have the final say in what looks a cracking Grade 1 on paper (easily as good as the Long Walk Hurdle). 

A race to grace any stage with a fascinating clash between old and new and despite not yet having tackled three miles, there’s a decent chance FAKIR D’OUDAIRIES (best price 18-1) can prove the surprise package. 

A high-class juvenile hurdler, Joseph O’Brien’s gelding has made into an even better chaser and if it wasn’t for a bad blunder at the second last at Cheltenham last season, there’s little doubt he would have walked away with the Arkle Trophy. Starting his campaign off over the minimum trip, the son of Kapgarde went extremely well for nine tenths of the journey until done for pace by the classy Notebook in the closing stages and the immediate thought afterwards was it would be the last time we see him over that sort of trip. Whether he requires an extra mile is open to question, but he settles well and more importantly jumps with a degree of economy that will give him every chance, so at 20-1, he’s well worth a dart at the board in what should be one of the pound-for-pound clashes of the season. 

SAMCRO (best price 12-1) is another who is just too good to let go at double-figure odds despite falling into the same category of the trip being an unknown. Always highly regarded, Gordon Elliott’s gelding finally delivered the goods over fences when capturing the Marsh Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and based on the time figures he posted that day and subsequent form of those well-beaten in behind, he looked one to very much keep on side during his second season. A slightly lacklustre display on his comeback run at Down Royal, however, has taken a little gloss off his reputation, but there’s also a suspicion that he just might have had an off day, similar to his stable mate Abacadabras, who went on to bounce back the next day. Either way, the son of Germany still remains a class act and at 12-1, he’s worth chancing that three miles is the making of him.

Of the leading players according to the betting, Minella Indo looks a worthy favourite based on what he’s achieved in recent times and for those of us have backed him for the Gold Cup, it will be great to see him win or go close this afternoon. He just doesn’t make a huge amount of appeal at 5-2 on this occasion.