Monday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

BALLYBLACK (best price 2-1) couldn’t quite take the step up in grade in his stride at Ascot last time out, but he still finished ahead of two novices who have both gone on to boost the form since (Unanswered Prayers and Hecouldbetheone) and, with today’s better ground set to suit, Jeremy Scott’s gelding is fancied to get back in the groove.

Promising behind the talented Brave Kingdom on rules debut at Taunton, the son of Shirocco went on to back up the impression he created that day at Exeter next time and in doing so, he lowered the colours of subsequent Wincanton scorer, Last Royal (fourth won too since). Stepped up from Class 4 company to Class 2 opposition 17 days later, the six-year-old couldn’t live with the likes of Skytastic and Scarface (ran in the Ballymore) in the latter stages, but at the same time, he was by no means disgraced. Back on a better surface as far as he is concerned today, the turn of foot he exhibited two starts ago should be seen to good effect and he rates a solid choice to confirm the theory he’s a good bit better than his opening mark of 123.

HACKBRIDGE (NAP) (best price 3-1) was a withdrawal here at the last meeting due to unsuitably (soft) ground, but with connections more than happy to roll the dice under today’s conditions, Pat Phelan’s gelding can back up his C&D victory back in October at the main expense of Sword Beach, who hasn’t quite hit the heights over hurdles his Flat rating suggested he might.

Lightly-raced over hurdles, the son of Archipenko is better known for his exploits on the Flat and he arrives here following a smart effort on the all-weather at Lingfield last time out. In what turned out to be a very strongly run race for the grade at the Surrey track, he quickened up really smartly in the closing stages to just edge out the gambled-on Smart Connection and with the time figure unsurprisingly revealing he’d run to a career high, one could of easily have expected connections to find another similar race with a view to repeating the dose. Instead they have decided to come back to a track where he produced a useful performance in beating Sergeant - who was in cracking form at the time – back in October, and with today’s faster ground lending itself to a horse who has a decent cruising speed and decent turn of foot, such as he has, the seven-year-old can register another victory of the C&D.

Those who are backing Sword Beach at a short price are relying on him improving for the experience gained to qualify for a handicap mark, but on the evidence seen of him so far over hurdles and the modest time figures he’s posted, it’s a big leap of faith taking odds around the 6-4 mark.