Monday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

JET LEGS (best price 11/4) rather frustratingly finished runner-up for the second time in succession at Ayr last time out but, as the horse who beat him has since gone to land a listed race subsequently, another chance is afforded Martin Todhunter’s gelding in his bid to finally get off the mark.

Held up towards the rear in the early stages at the Scottish track, the son of Jet Away still had plenty of ground make up coming out of the back straight and even though he did his level best to try and erode the deficit in the final half a mile, he just couldn’t quite get to grips with a horse who just kept pounding out the fractions off the front.

That said, his performance deserved to be upgraded on account of him being the only horse on the hurdle course that day noted for making up ground from the back of the field and considering he also almost tripped over halfway down the back straight, it puts into context his achievements in defeat.

Unlucky to bump into the extremely tough The Imposter over today’s C&D previously, he may have won that day had he not challenged on the slowest part of the track and a repeat of something similar on his return to the Yorkshire venue should see him play a significant role in the final outcome.

GLANCE AT ME (best price 7/2) appeared to take a big step forward at Lingfield last time out and with the improved form put down to the combination of better ground and a drop in trip, Andrew Martin’s mare can repeat the dose under similar conditions.

Shaping as though she would be better for the run on her first start after a break at Huntingdon previously, the daughter of Passing Glance still went to the Surrey venue with only mild hope of landing a competitive handicap, but as it turned out, she proved a totally revelation.

Staying on best of all in the closing stages, she got the better of the well-fancied Iskar D’Airy in a protracted dual from two out and with the time figure very good for the grade, her performance deserves plenty of merit.

Given the magnitude of victory, she appears to have done well to only escape with a minor slap across the wrists and with conditions set to be on the decent side of good for the second time in succession, the five-year-old can strike another blow for her in-form handler.

EVANIA (NAP) (best price 9/4) won in the style of an improving filly at Southwell last time out and with the form of that race already beginning to take shape, Kevin Philippart De Foy’s inmate is fancied to continue her rise up the ranks.

Outclassed in a top-class version of The Churchill Stakes at Lingfield back in November, the daughter of Golden Horn was back at a more realistic level at Southwell last time out and, after travelling well throughout, she readily disposed of her rivals with a bit to spare.

Since that victory, the likes of Capital Theory and Aztec Empire have both endorsed the form and with tonight’s track seen as a place where she can operate at a similar level, the lightly-raced four-year-old should prove hard to beat.

UNDER THE TWILIGHT (best price 9/2) didn’t fare too badly on her first start for 107 days here last time out and, in what appears to be a much easier race on paper, Michael Blake’s mare looks sure to play a leading role.

A decent third on his first visit to the Dunstall Park venue back in October, the daughter of Twilight Son had subsequently changed hands and on the evidence of what we saw of her 23 days ago, she appears to be just as good.

In what turned out to be an extremely competitive and strongly run affair, the five-year-old looked a massive player over a furlong out until lack of a previous outing took its toll, but with both the winner and runner-up going on to boost the form since, her effort has to be deemed a good deal better than it did at the time.

Back down to Class 5 company and likely to be all the better for that initial outing, she has a decent opportunity of regaining the winning thread.