Horse racing tips: Three best bets for Monday's racing action

It is back to reality again on Monday after being treated to a stellar couple of days of racing action at the Curragh over the weekend.

If you did miss any of the action, you can watch it all again for free in Racing TV’s results and replay section, plus all the interviews from the Curragh are in the On Demand section.

Angus McNae will also be analysing all the key races, including the Irish Derby, from the past few days in The Verdict on Monday, so make sure you tune in for some unmissable insight and expert analysis.

I like the chances of three runners on Monday and, looking at the weather forecast, the ground conditions are likely to change overnight at Windsor and Lingfield, so it is worth bearing that in mind before having a bet. Best of luck.

With an abundance of rain forecast, there is likely to be plenty of give in the ground at Lingfield on Monday, and that has to be a concern for the likely favourite here, Faustus, who ran below-par on soft ground three starts ago.

One contender who will relish testing conditions is Lethal Blast and the in-form filly produced a career-best effort on soft ground over course and distance in May, which was the third leg of a hat-trick.

She possibly found the run coming too soon when fourth on the polytack five days later, and fast ground would not have been ideal last time out. She still ran well on both occasions, though, and has been dropped a pound for her latest effort.

Although she remains 9lb above her last winning mark, she won with plenty to spare three starts ago and is the only confirmed front-runner in the line-up, so I am hoping she can get a good break from stall two and attempt to make all. Kieran O'Neill is three from five aboard the four-year-old, and takes the mount again.

I did like the look of Frankelio's chances in this contest following his recent second behind Lola Showgirl, who won at Royal Ascot on her next start, at York last time out. However, both of Frankelio’s past two efforts have been on soft, and with the ground good, good to firm in places and little rain forecast, there’s a possibility he may find conditions too quick.

The same can’t be said for Delgrey Boy who relishes a faster surface and has the plum draw in stall one. I expect him to gain an early advantage here and attempt to make all, just like he did when successful at Thirsk in May. He was held up last time out, but he had a wide draw on that occasion, and still managed to go close in a similar contest to this.

His consistency means he has been creeping up in the weights and he is now 9lb above his last winning mark. He is progressing, though, and the step back down to a mile will suit.

Harswell Duke is another who would probably prefer softer ground, and Emiyn will need to settle better plus doesn't look straightforward, so the selection looks the safest option and it is hard not to see him going close.

The ground was good to firm at Windsor on Sunday but, similar to Pontefract, there is rain forecast ahead of racing on Monday, and there is sure to be some give in the ground.

That will please connections of Punchbowl Flyer who was an easy winner over course and distance on soft two starts ago before winning a competitive handicap at Haydock, again with cut in the ground, on his next start.

Despite finishing eighth, his run in the Wokingham nine days ago was a respectable effort given he raced on an unfavourable part of the track, and he still managed to finish first of nine in his group.

The ease in grade on Monday should make life easier for him, and I thought he was value for more than the winning margin when successful at Haydock as he set a strong gallop, and that set the race up for the closers.

A rating of 99 means he requires another career-best here, but he’s a progressive sprinter and will be in the mix if none the worse for his Royal Ascot exertions.