Andy Holding's Monday Racing Tips

The mere sight of a Gary Moore-trained juvenile in a handicap against his elders was always bound to see bookmakers react accordingly, but whether he has as much in hand as the morning odds suggest is debatable and SHELDON (best price 9-2) makes more appeal based on his solid level of form in some smart handicaps over the last twelve months or so. 

A creditable sixth in last season’s EBF Final at Sandown, Seamus Mullins’ gelding has put in four decent shifts since, the last two of which have come in races where the form has worked out particularly well. Third to Mister Watson at Lingfield two runs back, the likes of Blackjack Magic, Pride Of Lecale and Mr Grey Sky have all won since and his most recent display when filling out the same position at Newbury has been franked by the fifth, Fontana Ellissi, at Ffos Las last week. Just as good around sharp tracks as well as more galloping circuits, as he proved at Fakenham last season, the son of Shantou is also pretty flexible when it comes to ground conditions, so all in all, he looks almost certain to go well however good the favourite might turn out to be. 

The race won by Punctuation at Warwick a few weeks ago was noted for the strong time figure for the grade, so having shaped pretty well on his handicap debut to finish a respectable fourth, EXMOOR EXPRESS (best price 4-1) is worth another chance at a similar level to see whether he can make a breakthrough in this sphere. 

A winner of a good-ground bumper at Chepstow last season, Victor Dartnell’s gelding has run with plenty of encouragement in all four hurdle outings since, and his latest effort at the Midland venue, albeit a decent one, might have been bettered if conditions wouldn’t have been so undesirable. Outpaced on the home turn as the tempo really cranked up several notches, the son of San Frontieres didn’t have the acceleration to go with the main players from that juncture, but he still kept on well enough to finish an honourable fourth. When you consider the winner ran the last circuit around 20 lengths quicker than both Stag Horn and Sporting John on the same card, it puts into perspective what he was up against 23 days ago and with nothing of that sort of calibre to face here this afternoon, a big performance should be forthcoming on ground that he will find much more to his liking. 

HOT DAY (NAP) (best price 5-1) failed to cut too much ice over tonight’s C&D last time out, but as he was in a pretty hot contest for the grade noted for its very fast time figure, he makes for a very interesting contender at a decent price in this much weaker-looking race on paper.

A winner over the extended mile here back in November, Stan Moore’s gelding hasn’t quite managed to build on that success in three subsequent outings, but he didn’t run too badly in the first-time pieces on his penultimate start and as already stated, his latest display was a good deal better than it appears at first glance. Indeed, not only has the winner, Almufeed, gone on to advertise the value of the form twice since, the fourth-placed He’s A Latchico ran out a comfortable winner at Lingfield on Saturday and, hailing from a stable who have had three winners in the last week, it wouldn’t be the biggest shock in the world in the son of Adaay were to make it four.