Monday Horse Racing Tips from Andy Holding

SHALADAR (best price 13-2) went winless for the whole of last season, but he did run many commendable races in defeat and following a bright start to the new campaign at Beverley a month ago, Kevin Ryan’s gelding deserves another chance in his quest to return to the winner’s circle. 

Steadied towards the rear in typical fashion at the Yorkshire track, the five-year-old was still in last place as he turned for home with three furlongs to run but he did manage to claw back a good deal of the lost deficit to finish a creditable second to the race-fit Arthur’s Realm and under circumstances, his performance boded well for the future. 

Likely to benefit greatly from that initial outing and racing at a venue where he’s gone well in the past, he makes plenty of each-way appeal at the morning odds. 

DEO VERO (best price 5-1) shaped with more promise the bare result suggested in a useful maiden contest at the Curragh on debut and providing she can adapt to today’s less conventional track; David Geary’s filly can ruffle a few feathers from more powerful stables. 

Sent off 100-1 at the Kildare venue, those pre-race odds ballooned even further after a sluggish beginning and, as a result, she spent the first part of the contest learning on the job towards the rear of the field. However, she did make a promising mid-race move that more than caught the eye and had her effort not met significant trouble in running inside the final furlong, there was more than a fair chance she may have finished in the money.

Finishing full of running, the daughter of Elzaam would have hopefully learnt enough – particularly exiting the stalls – to be a more potent threat second time around and although she hasn’t exactly been missed by the bookmakers judged by the betting, she still deserves in interest to see whether she can improve accordingly. 

Both Jabbar and Sixpack, first and second here last week, were bound to be popular choices on their return to the Lenebane circuit but on slightly quicker ground and at the morning odds, NARLITA (best price 14-1) makes a good deal more appeal, and she deserves to be played accordingly. 

A winner at Bellewstown last season, she was by and large a consistent performer during the remainder of the campaign and based on her opening salvo, she looks in line for another productive few months ahead. 

Returning to action following a 188-day break, Harry Rogers’ mare held every chance turning for home against many in-form and race-fit rivals but once straightening up for the judge, her run rather petered out and she ended up finishing just outside the frame. 

That said, there was more than enough encouragement in that display to make her of some interest going forward and having already proven her suitability to today’s track many times over, the five-year-old can easily outrun her odds in the first-time tongue-tie.