Monday Horse Racing Tips from Andy Holding

PEPE LE MOKO (best price 3-1) made a bright start to his chasing career with a victory of some substance and with the potential of even more to come, he rates the one most likely to provide favourite Oxygen with the most to think about. 

Promising in several novice hurdle without winning, Jane Williams’ inmate was sent straight over fences this term with a view to changing his fortunes and on the evidence of his opening salvo, he looks to have already taken his game to another level. The way he jumped and travelled before powering clear to record a fast time figure at Warwick a month ago suggested he is simple miles better than his old mark of 106 and even allowing a slight adjustment by the assessor, time may tell he still has a bit in hand.

KOENIGSSTERN (best price 16/1) shaped way better than the bare result suggested on his rules debut at Exeter and providing Nick Gifford’s inmate strips a good deal fitter than he did 28 days ago, he has a decent chance of playing a bigger role than his position in the market affords him. 

Sent off 50-1 at the west country track, clearly there no great expectations for the son of Anjaal to feature in race that contained several highly promising sorts but having chased a strong pace and travelled well for most of the journey, it was only inside the final half a mile that he began to flag.

Off for 226-days prior, the task of trying to keep up with a tempo that allowed the contest to be run eight seconds quicker than the other hurdle races on the final circuit finally took its toll, but it was still a cracking effort all the same. 

Presumably brought with a chasing career in mind being a winning Irish pointer, the six-year-old will probably not truly flourish until he goes down that route next year, but for now he showed more than enough ability in just one run to suggest he can easily win a small race somewhere and today’s test looks well within his capabilities. Nice type. 

LIHYAN (best price 11/4) has yet to feature in two starts so far this season but as both races have been very hot according to the numbers, he should find today’s task favourable enough to allow him to address the balance. 

Shaping as though the run would do him the world of good in a race that was worked out extremely well at Ayr a month ago, Rebecca Menzies’ inmate could never land a blow having been held up way off the pace over today’s C&D last time out but as the ground would have been plenty soft enough for him, his performance shouldn’t be knocked too much.

Down to a level where he should prove good enough to take advantage, it would be a surprise if he fails to do so under ideal conditions.

COMPOSITE (best price 3/1) created a favourable impression on his all-weather debut over today’s C&D nine days ago and George Boughey’s readymade maiden winner looks poised to shed his maiden tag with just normal improvement.

A disappointment when sent off a hot favourite to land a bumper at Huntingdon a month ago, the three-year-old was given a chance to bounce back just two weeks later at the Midland venue and if it wasn’t for blowing the start and meeting trouble in the run rounding the home turn, there’s little doubt he would have gone close to winning. 

The way he finished off his race backed up all the pre-race hype from his debut performance, and providing he comes out on terms with his chief opponents on his return to Dunstall Park, he has all the tools to land a race of this nature.

GYPSY WHISPER (best price 13-2) only narrowly failed to reel back Star Of St Louis when they last met here a month ago and having gone on to run an equally good race over a furlong shorter on her latest start, Scott Dixon’s mare has a better chance of turning around the form with her old rival than the early prices suggest. 

Caught in traffic at a vital stage on her first attempt at the extended 1m1f trip, the way she finished off her race once out in the clear suggested she might have prevailed with a smoother passage and on her return visit it was simple a case of a mile being an insufficient test – even at a solid pace. 

Back up to hopefully will turn out to be her optimum trip in future, the daughter of Helmet rates a strong each-way choice with most firms offering four places.