Horse racing tips: Harry Allwood's three bets for Monday

It is back to reality on Monday after a stellar weekend of racing action, with five low-key fixtures taking place across Britain and Ireland.

There are plenty of tricky puzzles to solve at each meeting, although I am hoping none of the contenders in the three races below spring an 80-1 shock!

Sunday's Arc looked one of the strongest, and most competitive, renewals of the French showpiece in recent years, and it was no surprise to hear bookmakers were grinning from ear to ear after Torquator Tasso's victory.

I did try to find one or two selections at bigger prices on Monday, but nothing chalked up at double-figure odds caught my eye, and the three selections below hold strong claims. I will also be putting them in a trixie, and would rate Aleezdancer as the nap. Best of luck.

This youngster relished cut in the ground when recording back-to-back victories in May and, with soft ground in his favour at Pontefract on Monday, he looks the one to beat in this contest.

After recording those two wins, Aleezdancer was set some lofty targets over the summer, although fared respectably against strong opposition, including when finishing midfield in a valuable auction race behind Sacred Bridge at Naas.

On paper, his latest effort was a shade disappointing given he was dropped down in class, but he travelled strongly and raced on an unfavourable part of the track, so did well to finish as close as he did in the circumstances.

Fast Company’s progeny tend to favour give underfoot, and I think that is the case with this two-year-old who has probably found the ground a shade too quick on his past four starts.

He does carry top weight, but his rivals need to up their game on the form they have shown so far. The only slight negative is his draw in stall eight, although that should enable him to slot in out wide and keep out of trouble.

Shandoz has not been seen since disappointing in last year’s Old Rowley Cup, although it is best to excuse that effort as soft ground was against him, and he looked a highly-progressive youngster prior to that.

Following a string of promising efforts as a two-year-old, the son of Golden Horn endured a lengthy absence before winning a handicap at Ascot on his return, which makes it less of a concern that he lacks a recent run here.

Roger Varian’s charge, who has been gelded since his last run, then landed a valuable handicap over the same course and distance in a much stronger contest than this and, interestingly, Varian said afterwards that Shandoz would make a better four-year-old.

The selection has already proven he acts on the all-weather, and although he races off a rating 6lb above his last winning mark, he surely has more to offer now he makes his belated return to action.

He also showed a good attitude last year and, given he hasn’t been seen over the summer, I expect connections will be keen on sending him to Meydan over the winter.

One slight negative is his draw in stall nine, but he does like to be held up, and I am hoping his rider will be able to edge across and get some cover before pouncing in the straight.

My Frankel looks the main danger, especially as he is two from two on the all-weather, and is Ryan Moore’s only ride of the day at Lingfield on Monday. However, his latest outing was underwhelming and he needs to bounce back.

Connections appear to have found the key to Street Life who completed a hat-trick in style when scoring over course and distance last time out and a 9lb rise is unlikely to be enough to stop him if he repeats that performance.

The four-year-old broke well from stall four and disputed the lead on his latest outing before powering clear in the straight, despite drifting across the track, to defeat some useful sprinters at this level. He is drawn in the same stall again here and the same tactics are sure to be deployed again.

His rivals appear to be either in the grip of the handicapper, or struggle to win, and Morgan Cole, who is two from three aboard Street Life, takes a useful 7lb off.