Monday Horse Racing Tips from Andy Holding

The Height Of Fame and Paddy De Pole command a huge amount of respect down the front end of the market but both step away from their usual west country comforts and GALATA BRIDGE (NAP) (best price 5-2), more accustom to today’s surrounds, receives the vote.

Although yet to win at the Midland venue, the seven-year-old has run some fine races in defeat and it was only the minimum trip that prevented him from maintaining his 100% record of finishing in the money on his latest visit.

Since that decent effort back in June, Dr Newland’s gelding has gone on to land a decent prize at Perth prior to finishing a creditable second on his first attempt beyond 2m4f at Uttoxeter last time out and with his speed figures coming out favourably in the context of today’s race, he looks almost certain to put some heat on his two main market rivals.

SCARLET LADY (best price 4-1) has still to win in eight starts but there has been plenty of encouraging signs recently her breakthrough moment isn’t too far away and returning to a level that should see her extremely competitive, Charlie McBride’s filly is afforded another chance.

Just touched off in a wild finish to a Class 4 handicap at York two starts ago, she was heavily supported to back up that tremendous effort from out of the weights at Lingfield next time but on a track favouring speed off the front, she couldn’t quite come to terms with all-the-way winner Al Algeam, who kept up strong fractions from the outset.

However, she posted another speed figure which was complementary to her exploits on the Knavesmire previously and now heading back to a course that saw her run a fine race against the track bias a month ago, the daughter of Twilight Son looks the most obvious threat to last week’s penalised winner, Kracking.

A difficult bunch to assess with quite a few open to any amount of improvement stepping up in trip but at least DIDAAR (best price 15-2) lays claim to having run a decent figure over 1m2f and he rates the percentage each-way call at the morning odds.

Never involved on his debut over a mile at Ffos Las a month ago, Ismail Mohammed’s colt was upped in trip at Doncaster last time out and under a patient ride, he only narrowly failed to overhaul the well-regarded newcomer Radwan. He did, however, manage to claim the scalp of short-priced favourite, Winston’s Tipple, who had previously finished a creditable second to subsequent pattern winner Ombudsman at Newmarket and with the time figure also speaking favourably of the effort, he clearly showed more than his fair share of ability.

Although he shapes like he might require further in future, today’s trip looks fine for now and with the strong possibility of more to come, the son of No Nay Never should put in another solid shift.