Saturday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

MAX VEGA (best price 7/1) may lack the sexy profiles of some, but he’s often punched well above his weight in the past, and with most of his best races in his career coming over today’s course, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility he can repeat last year’s success. 

Although he has plenty of useful form on a decent surface, he’s undoubtedly better on soft and he proved that in no uncertain terms when scoring on his final start of last campaign over today’s C&D.  Despite the red-hot favourite, Hamish, seemingly travelling all over Ralph Beckett’s inmate at the two pole, he impressed with his ability to see out the trip stronger than his main market rival and it came as no surprise to find the overall speed figure he produced work out as a career high.

Other than one slightly below-par effort due to fast ground, his form figures at the Berkshire venue read 2211, and with the rain falling yesterday coming as a welcome aid to his cause, the six-year-old can once again kick start his campaign in the best possible fashion.

MONBEG GENIUS (best price 5/1) arrives here with the best recent form in the book by a country mile and if Jonjo O’Neill’s gelding proves equally effective under today’s quicker conditions (has won on good ground over hurdles), there’s a decent chance he will have too much class for his opposition. 

Heading into Cheltenham following three victories in smaller fields at a lower level, the son of Shantou turned out to be the gamble of the race, punted in for double-figure morning quotes to 6-1 joint-favourite at the off and although he didn’t quite manage to land the money, he more than justified the plunge. 
Jumping and travelling well throughout, he arrived there going well as anything turning for home and despite quickening smartly up the hill after landing in front over the last, he ultimately got out-sprinted by two better horses on the day. 

As history has dictated, he faced an impossible task trying to live with Corach Rambler, who not only advertised the form in the Grand National, but could potentially be Grade 1 material in-waiting, and with the distinct possibility that he could, himself, be plying his trade at a higher level next season, a mark of 145 is there to be exploited.

FRENCH CLAIM (NAP) (best price 5/2) kicked off his campaign in the best possible fashion over today’s C&D last time out and with the time figure he posted suggesting he may have improved a good deal since disappointing on his final two starts to last season, Paddy Twomey’s colt can stake his claim to be one of the best stayers around in Ireland. 

Strongly fancied in many quarters to run well in the St Leger on his final start last season, the son of French Navy didn’t do himself any favours by racing too keenly in the early part of the contest and the same story was the case on his final outing at the Curragh when he faded after making the running in the Irish Cesarewitch. 

Ridden more circumspectly on his opening bow of the season at the Co Meath venue, the four-year-old impressed with the way he travelled throughout and when asked to go and claim the prize at the business end, his response was even more emphatic. 

Although it may have seemed a fairly mandatory performance at first glance, his winning speed figure suggested otherwise and with both the second and third going on to advertise the form since, confidence is high this smart performer in the making can do the same on ground that suits.

WARNING SIGN (best price 4/1) failed to feature in a competitive handicap at Doncaster on his first start of the season but, as he did best of those who raced on the unfavourable part of the track, he’s worth another chance to prove the decision to purchase him for 32k at the Arqana Deauville Summer sale was good one. 

One of five who decided to plot a course over on the far side of the track over the straight mile on Town Moor, it soon became apparent that he, along with the other four, were rowing against the tide, but that didn’t prevent him from running an eye-catching race in isolation. 

Keeping on extremely well in the latter stages despite adversity, he finished a respectable tenth of the 22-strong field and more importantly he managed to put 30 lengths between himself and the other nearest finisher of his group of five (Isla Kai beaten 40 lengths). 

On the evidence of that display, Gary Moore’s gelding is clearly in the rudest of health and having proven himself capable of handling testing ground back in his native France, today’s conditions and step up in trip should see him to better effect.

FENOMENO (best price 7/1) just found the in-form Mephisto a little too strong for him in the closing stages at Dundalk last time out but, as that run was his first for 151 days, a chance is taken on Charles Weld’s grey stripping a good deal fitter this time around and backing up his previous decent effort over today’s C&D. 

Gelded since last seen running respectable on heavy ground at Galway last October, the lightly-raced four-year-old was understandably easy to back at the Co Lough track off a big break, but despite the lack of interest in the market, he still managed to run way beyond expectations. 

Keeping on strongly in the latter stages of a well-run two miles, he gave out positive signals for the future and having finished a creditable third of 21 in a similarly competitive contest here last October, there’s no reason why he won’t go well again on his return to the Co Meath venue.