Andy Holding's Monday Racing Tips

KABRIT (NAP) (best price 2-1) arrives here in the form of his life and the hat trick looks a strong possibility if he can repeat either of his last two impressive victories.

Brilliantly ridden by Nick Schofield when delivering the six-year-old to perfection at Worcester back in June, his in-form pilot produced a copy and paste display on his mount at Uttoxeter last time out, this time leaving until the run-in before swooping to conquer. In scoring with more in hand than the bear results have suggested on each occasion, his relatively narrow winning margins, as a result, have meant the handicapper can’t go mad with the son of Mastercraftsman and his revised mark of 110 still looks workable. Likely to be given a patient ride again, his high cruising speed should ensure he stays in touch with the leaders without expending too much energy and with his willingness to find plenty once off the bridle also a strong positive, it all adds up for Alastair Ralph’s gelding to strike again.

ISTHEBAROPEN (best price 8-1) came up a little short against the boys over today’s C&D last time out, but as the time figure of the race in question was extremely good for the grade, Gary Hanmer’s mare is afforded another chance to complement her previous success at Southwell.

Pretty good on the numbers in her own right at the Midland venue back in July, the daughter of Grape Tree Road arrived here a well-backed second favourite to follow up that smooth success two weeks previously and although she travelled well enough for the first two miles of the contest, she couldn’t quite go with the main players from the back of the second last. That said, considering the winner, Eyeofthescorpion ran the final circuit much quicker than anything else on the card – including both the two-mile hurdle races – her performance probably wasn’t as bad as it first seemed. At the very least, she has gained valuable knowledge of today’s course and now back against her own sex, the top weight is fancied to put up a bold display for local connections.