Monday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

HYPERFOCUS (best price 9/4) arrives here in the form of his life and he looks set to continue his fine recent run of performances at a track that suits his attacking run style. 

The son of Intense Focus got his just rewards at Haydock two starts ago after a tremendous effort from a poor draw at Chester previously, and even though he couldn’t quite carry that winning form forward to York last time out, he still came of the race with great credit.

Being a horse who likes to dominate, getting taken on for the lead on the Knavesmirewas always going to cause complications, but with today’s smaller field and draw right next to the stands’ side fence seen as advantages that can be exploited, Tim Easterby’s gelding can hopefully use his qualities to capitalise. 

Ger Lyons landed this big prize last season with classy filly Scared Path and in the shape of APRICOT TWIST (best price 5/2), the Dunsany handler has a decent chance of duplicating the feat. 

Sent off 11-8 to make a winning start at the Co Kildare venue, there was every chance she was going to be above-average, but even allowing for the fact that might be the case, a seven-length demolition job on her nine rivals was beyond expectations.

Noted travelling well from an early stage, the 140k purchase impressed with the way she quickened up inside the final two furlongs and the finishing touches to her performance were added by a very tidy speed figure.

Clearly pattern level on the evidence of that display, she now has to prove herself against many in today’s field who have already dipped their toes into Group company, but with the likelihood of more improvement to come and valuable track knowledge, there’s every chance she will be equal to the task.

SPANISH (NAP) (best price 15/8) may have not bettered her finishing position numerically on her second start at Newbury last time, but she certainly did speed figure-wise, and with tonight’s assignment nowhere near as tough in terms of quality opposition, Willie Haggas’ filly rates an extremely strong choice to get the job done at the third time of asking. 

Promising on her debut back in April, the daughter of Lope De Vega returned to the Berkshire venue two months later to contest an above-average novice fillies’ affair on paper and after being held up in the rear through the early stages, she came through nicely at the business to finish a never-nearer fourth.

As we saw last week with Crystal Caprice at Goodwood, the form of the race in question looks pretty strong and with tonight’s extra two furlongs expected to bring about even further improvement, the chestnut filly can press home the advantage she has courtesy of her superior time figures.