Monday Horse Racing Tips from Andy Holding

There’s no denying Golden Ace is the pick of this field based on his bumper form but whether he will be streetwise enough on his hurdling debut to cope with the likes of Insurrection and LUCKY PLACE (NAP) (best price 15/8) is very much opening to question and of the pair with experience, the latter is fancied to build on his impressive Doncaster victory last time out.

Outpaced around Huntingdon’s sharp two miles on hurdling debut by the highly regarded Tellherthename (ran in the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle on next start), connections were soon to realise the son of Pastorius would require further to be seen to better advantage and that notion soon came to pass as he disposed of a useful and competitive field on Town Moor a month later.

Despite being seen as the stables second string behind Bective Abbey, he travelled like the best of Nicky Henderson’s pair through the first mile and a half of the journey and once levelling up in the home straight, he not only confirmed stable bragging rights, but he also pulverised the rest of the opposition to the tune of 13 lengths.

Eased down after the last, the five-year-old still managed to post a speed figure that was easily the best on the card and on the evidence of that display, he looks ready to take his game to another level. Obviously with Insurrection in the field, he will need to do just that here this afternoon, but such was the cruising speed and turn of foot he showed 24 days, it’s highly likely he will prove equal to the task.

JUST LOOSE CHANGE (best price 9/2) is building up quite an affinity with today’s track and following another solid performance at the west country venue last time out, Nicky Martin’s inmate is fancied to add to his stats that read 312.

A winner over the C&D last April, the seven-year-old was bidding to repeat the dose on his return visit 25 days ago and if it wasn’t for the power-packed finish of Samuel Spade, he would have duplicated the feat with ease. The way both he and the winner pulled clear of a competitive field, that included subsequent winner Individualiste, suggested they are a step ahead of the assessor and that view was also backed up by the excellent circuit time of the race compared to the novice hurdles won by Fiercely Proud and Ballee.

Taken wide to look for better ground on that occasion, hopefully Sam Twiston-Davies will be instructed to do the same here this afternoon and if so, his mount should be poised to put down a knockout blow on the run down to the second last and beyond.