Monday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

There’s no denying the impressive nature of Noche Magica’s debut victory at Cork, backed up by a fast speed figure, but BUCANERO FUERTE (best price 9/2) was equally good on his opening bow and considering that initial blow was executed over today’s C&D, he might have enough local knowledge to make a mockery of his seemingly generous morning odds.

Well-touted prior to his racecourse debut, Adrian Murray’s colt went through the strongly-run affair like the good horse he was said to be, and when asked to put the race to bed inside the final furlong, he impressed with the way he lengthened his stride to pull well clear in the closing stages.

Hitting the line really hard, he ended up posting some pretty smart numbers, and with presumably connections having had this race in mind ever since, similar conditions than what he encountered 37 days ago will hopefully see the son of Wootton Bassett play a more significant role than the layers would have you believe.

STONE CIRCLE (NAP) (best price 11/4) made a perfect start to his campaign with a gutsy success in a wild finish at Yarmouth and with the third home, Spoof, already highlighting the value of the form, Michael Bell’s gelding is strongly fancied to follow suit.

In-keeping with most sprinter’s the six-year-old produced a pretty mixed bag last term, winning three times only to disappoint on many other occasions, but as he showed on his return at the seaside venue, he’s fairly useful at this level – especially when conditions are testing.

In what turned out to be a strongly one given the heavy ground, the son of No Nay never showed all his battling qualities to get up in a bobbing finish and because of the narrow-margin nature of his victory, his mark has virtually been untouched.

Considering what the clock said and one of his main rivals in behind did next time, he’s therefore done quite well to escape unnoticed and with track form and underfoot conditions both seen as positive aspects to his chances of following up, the chestnut rates a fairly decent bet at the morning odds.

HOLMES ST GEORGES (best price 4/1) was heartbreakingly run out of the argument by the late rattle of Fingal’s Hill at Newcastle last time out, but as the numbers from that race 16 days ago suggested it was a fair race for the grade, Stuart Crawford’s gelding cam make amends at his local track.

Well-backed to end a frustrating run of second place finishes at the Gosforth Park venue, everything seemed to be going according to plan as he led going down to the last, but a slight mistake and peck on landing cost him valuable momentum and he ultimately ended up having to play second fiddle to a horse who had previous track knowledge.

Although today’s trip in a huge step into the unknown, he shapes like three miles will suit and conditions likely to make his job of doing so easier, the consistent six-year-old is fancied to go well again.

STAR GIRLS AALMAL (best price 5/1) saw about as much daylight as my handkerchief on her return to action over today’s course and even though she now faces a slightly different test in terms of trip, Henry De Bromhead’s mare is still fancied to acquit herself with distinction.

Off the mark at the first time of asking last season, the four-year-old went on to produced one of her best ever performances when a creditable fourth in the Irish 1000 Guineas over today’s course and she went on to prove that effort was no fluke by filling out the same position Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot.

No match for the older generation on her final start of the campaign at Group 1 level, she should find today’s sort of company more to her liking and on the evidence of what we saw of her 37 days ago, she looks in prime shape to make up for her serious bout of bad luck.

CROESO CYMRAEG (best price 7/2) has always been a bit of an enigmatic character, often giving himself plenty to do by being slowly away, but those antics haven’t stopped him winning eight times in his career and, with conditions in his favour, there’s a decent chance he can add to that tally.

Returning to action at Leicester last time out after a 207-day break, James Evans’ inmate actually, by his standards, was quite well away, and that meant he pulled himself to the front during the first half a mile, clearly keener to got on with proceedings than his pilot was willing to allow.

Despite expending energy he could ill-afford to give away, the nine-year-old hung tough all the way down the straight and it took Duke Of Verona all his powers of stamina to get by the reluctant front-runner in the dying strides.

Clearly in decent shape despite his advancing years, the son of Dick Turpin returns to a track where he was a solid runner-up to the useful Noble Masquerade and with bad ground unlikely to hinder his chances as much as others, he’s fancied to show the younger generation a thing or two.