Andy Holding's Monday Racing Tips

TOO FRIENDLY (best price 2-1) created a favourable impression when an eye-catching third on debut here 9 days ago and having shaped as though a little extra distance to cover wouldn’t go amiss in future, today’s extra two furlongs should see this son of Camelot go close to breaking his maiden tag at the second time of asking. 

Sent off at 40-1 for his opening bow at the Surrey track, clearly not too much was expected of George Scott’s colt against many with previous experience but as it turned out, he ran way better than anticipated. Held up in midfield, he raced with a good deal of professionalism until momentarily losing his pitch coming down the hill – which often happens with inexperienced horses – but once straightening up for home, he finished his race off with plenty of purpose to be a never-nearer third at the line. Given his stamina-laden pedigree, that effort has to go down as a hugely encouraging one over a fairly sharp mile and now stepping up to a trip that will hopefully play into strengths even more, this likeable three-year-old can kick-start his Newmarket-based trainer into the new year.

AMNIARIX (NAP) (best price 7-4) and Shimmering Dawn both arrive here on top of their game, but as the former has valuable experience of today’s C&D over her main market rival, she is given the nod at the respective morning odds. 

Really hitting the straps of late since raised in trip, Ed Walker’s filly stretched out to a mile for her latest victory at Kempton a month ago and that win supplemented her previous success over tonight’s C&D when she scored with plenty in hand. The feature of both performances was how strong she was in the latter stages and with there being a sneaky suspicion that her main market rival might be better over six furlongs, the daughter of Speightstown can call on those extra reserves when it matters most.