Monday Racing Tips from Andy Holding

AZAHARA PALACE (NAP) (best price 7/4) has built up a nice little affinity with today’s C&D so despite suffering defeat at Salisbury last time out, a revisit to his old stomping ground can initiate a return to winning ways.

An instant hit on his first outing at the Welsh track back in June, Hugie Morrison’s inmate returned for crack at handicap company a month later and after picking up the running going well three out, he stayed on in game fashion to see off the well fancied favourite, Eyeshadow.

Bidding to follow suit at the Wiltshire venue 25 days ago, the three-year-old just found one too good in the shape of Yellow Lion, but he did keep on well enough once headed to suggest he remains in decent spirits and if he can bag the stands rail from his favoured gate six, he can prove a nut to crack at the head of affairs.

HAZALYA (best price 4/1) and Yourmanthere ran out comfortable winners of their respective races over today’s C&D 13 days ago but with the former showing the better turn of foot of the pair inside the final two furlongs, Johnny Murtagh’s filly can use that potent part of her game to good effect on her return visit.

Seemingly not quite getting home over a mile and beyond in several maidens in the early part of the season, the daughter of Siyouni was dropped back to seven furlongs for the first time in a bid to finally get off the mark here last time out and after travelling well down to the furlong pole, she found a nice change of gear to kill the race off in an instant.

Now she has found her mojo, she can build of that confidence boosting win and with conditions similar to what they were last time out, another bold bid should be forthcoming in the first-time tongue-tie.

LUKE SHORT (best price 4/1) only narrowly failed to land a competitive handicap at The Curragh last time out but it was a performance that strongly hinted a step up in trip would yield maximum returns at some stage further down the line and with connections quick to seize on that notion, Noel Meade’s gelding is fancied to keep up the good recent run of his trainer.

Still with plenty more behind him than in front turning for home at the Co Kildare, the son of Sayif was at that point peeled out for a run down the outside and although he did his level best to maintain his relentless progress inside the final furlong, the line didn’t come in time for him to to reel back the more prominently ridden Slieve Binnian.

Based on that effort and his previous one at Naas, he has to be worth a shot at 1m4f and providing he is within range of the pace setters turning for home, he is likely to have a say in the final outcome in the latter stages.