Monday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

MENELAUS (best price 3/1) arrives here still a maiden after nine starts, but there was more than a fair share of encouragement with his effort over today’s C&D last time that he will not have to wait too much longer, and he receives a confident vote to end the drought back at the scene of that career high.

Bogged down on heavy ground on his opening bow of the campaign at Doncaster, Michael & David Easterby’s gelding was extremely well supported to put matters right back on a quicker surface at the Yorkshire venue and it was only by the narrowest of margin that he failed to land the gamble.

Closing with every stride on the run to the line, he left the impression a more favourable early position would have made all the difference and providing he can execute that part of the race a little better this time around, the four-year-old has enough ability to land the knockout blow in the straight.

WILTSHIRE (best price 11/2) found the likes of Shouldavbeenaring and Co just a little too hot to handle in the later stages of a well-contested listed event at Newmarket last time out, but as that effort comes out well on the figures in the context of today’s race, Freddie & Martyn Meade’s colt has a decent opportunity of making the most of a drop down in class.

Settling nicely just in behind the pace set by Benarce at HQ, the son of Aclaim loomed up looking one of the likelier winners at the furlong pole but, as it turned out, he could not quite sustain his effort all the way up the hill to the line and he had to settle for a position just outside the money.

Up in the ratings to 93 following that excellent display, the form has gone on to be boosted by the winner at Group 2 level since, and if you factor in his performance behind subsequent French 2000 Guineas runner-up on his seasonal bow, he should hopefully find today’s company more realistic over a trip that should suit.

SILVER GUNN (NAP) (best price 7/2) produced an excellent effort on his opening gambit of the campaign over tonight’s C&D last week and with that run going a long way to confirming his love affair with the Berkshire venue, Marco Botti’s grey can further bolster his course figures that read 1433.

Returning to the fray after a 226-day break, the five-year-old was understandably a little keen and fresh in the early stages, but despite expending unnecessary energy he could ill afford to lose, he still managed to run on well in the final half a mile to finish a respectable margin behind the easy winner, Peace Man.

No match for a horse who will surely go on to much better things (would be no surprise to see him in one of the handicaps at the Royal Ascot), it is worth noting the son of Lope De Vega posted a smart speed figure of his own in defeat and a repeat of something similar should see easily good enough to be in the mix again with seemingly no well-treated performers in his way.