Monday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

LUMINOUS LIGHT (best price 8/1) has run two eye-catching races since switching his attentions to hurdles, none more so than his latest start over today’s C&D, and providing he’s ridden with a little more positively on his return to the Co Kildare venue, Anthony Mullins’ is likely to prove the joker in the pack.

Held up towards the rear in a race which developed into a bit of a sprint from three out, the son of Iffraaj was always likely to get caught out given the position he was in at that juncture, but it was good to see him stay on in pleasing fashion off the home turn to finish a never-nearer eighth.

Not knocked about in any way to do so, on the evidence of that display he’s at least the same horse as Calico (was 20 lengths behind today’s favourite at halfway last time), so as long as today’s assignment doesn’t end up being an exercise in getting him handicapped and he’s allowed to run on merits, he has the ability to feature in a race lacking any great strength in depth.

Of the rest, second favourite Almuhit also ran a pleasing race on his hurdling debut at Leopardstown but, as it was an incredibly slowly run affair and today’s conditions wouldn’t necessarily be in his favour (ran badly on heavy ground on the Flat), it’s difficult to get excited about him at 7/2.

There’s no denying Valirann Gold won in the manner of a well handicapped horse at Chepstow last week, but GREENROCK ABBEY (best price 7/2) also has his plus points, and at the morning odds, Kerry Lee’s gelding rates the percentage call.

Always regarded as a chaser, the son of El Salvador backed up that view at the first time of asking over today’s C&D and although he failed in his bid to follow up at FFos Las next time, the numbers suggest he ran better than at first feared.

A couple of sloppy jumps when the race heated up ultimately cost him dear, so the addition of first-time cheekpieces will hopefully allow him to concentrate a little more and help him be a bigger favour in today’s slightly less taxing affair on paper.

QUEEN JANE (best price 11/1) ran a good deal better than the finishing position suggested at Limerick last time out and she’s fancied to press home that view if ridden in a more productive manner.

One of the biggest mistakes a jockey can make when riding on soft ground at the Greenmount Park venue is to send their mount around the inside, but that’s exactly what happened to Henry De Bromhead’s mare through no fault of her own in a competitive mares’ handicap on her first outing for 197 days. Once the turf gets churned up at a track notorious for testing conditions, the outside becomes a place where the sensible jockeys among the weighing room tend to race, so it’s always worth marking up any horses that runs well against the bias, which is exactly what the daughter of Mahler did 21 days ago.

Although beaten 19 lengths, all the others who raced around the curb were either tailed off or pulled up so she actually comes out of the contest with a huge amount of credit. Moreover, not for the first time she has shown a liking for soft ground (her only win so far to date came under similar conditions) and with a drop back in trip not seen as any great negative, the lightly-raced seven-year-old can go well at a decent price.

FOLLOW YOUR HEART (NAP) (best price 11/4) still managed to finish a creditable runner-up for the third time in succession despite having a shocking passage throughout the race here last time, and with his trainer/jockey combination both going on a bit of a roll since, confidence is high it’ll be third time lucky for Mark Loughnane’s gelding.

Drawn stall 11 of 11 at the Dunstall Park venue 34 days ago, the son of Estidhkaar was dropped out by design by his inexperienced apprentice in order to give his mount every chance of being competitive and although those tactics eventually helped him obtain the best possible finishing position, at the same time he never really looked like winning.

Better drawn on his return visit, hopefully a more prominent early position will enable him to go one place better.

JOHNNY BOOM (best price 10/3) has really sprung to prominence since stepping foot at tonight’s track and with the figures suggesting he’s running to a pretty decent level for a horse of his rating, Shaun Lycett’s gelding can complete the hat trick.

Strong in the finish when capturing an extended mile handicap on his first visit to the Dunstall Park track, the five-year-old chestnut was stepped up a furlong for his next assignment and on the evidence of the end product, that decision was an insprired one.

In beating all thr right horses, such as in-form pair Measured Moments and Giorgio Vasari, the son of New Bay posted a really fast time for the grade and tonight’s contest looking no more testing on paper, another big effort should be forthcoming.