Andy Holding's Friday Racing Tips

MONTE IGUELDO (best price 4-1) has shaped better than the bare result has suggested on both of his starts over hurdles to date and even though he faces a couple of above-average opponents here this afternoon, he’s fancied to more than hold his own.

Despite going well for a long way on his hurdles debut at Wetherby, Oliver Greenall’s gelding didn’t quite see the race out as well as the main players, but when you consider three of the first four home have all gone on to be subsequent winners, he was clearly up against it in any case. Once again in a fair contest for northern novice hurdle standards at Ayr last time out, the son of Cokoriko worked himself into a decent position from the rear of the field rounding the home bend, but his effort to get there in the first place took its toll late on and he ultimately faded after the second last to finish fifth. As he also looked like he didn’t fully see out the extended 2m3f journey, a drop back down to the minimum trip should prove a wise move and with no great strength in depth beyond him in today’s race, the lightly-raced five-year-old rates a fairly solid each-way option with the dead eight runners set to go to post.

Sarangani has been put in here a short priced favourite following a promising debut at Newcastle, but he will need to show a fair amount of improvement – certainly based on his time figure - if he is to justify his position in the market and also the form already shown by ZAIN SARINDA (best price 5-2).

A big eye-catcher on his debut at Kempton when he stayed on strongly after a slow beginning, Tom Clover’s gelding was well-supported to be a much bigger factor next time out at Wolverhampton and as it turned out, the money proved spot on. Stepped up to the extended 1m1f trip at the Midland venue, the son of Churchill was immediately in the thick of the action and although he faced a stern challenge when joined off the home turn by Base Note, he stayed on powerfully all the way to the line to score with a bit in hand. Good on the numbers 25 days ago, it’s good to see the runner-up boost the form with a smooth win at Lingfield last weekend and with today’s galloping 1m2f set to really suit this imposing colt, anything any than a massive run would be seen as a disappointment.