Ross Millar's top tips: best bets for Monday's action

Gerri Colombe shortened in the betting for the Cheltenham Gold Cup after a a gritty winning performance in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal on Saturday.

I’m aware I’m in the minority but I wasn’t all that impressed. I concede he must be given credit for running down the high-class Envoi Allen, who was given the perfect stalking ride by Rachael Blackmore, but had that rival not been slow at the last he might have held on.

Furthermore, I’m not sure Envoi Allen is the hardest horse in training to outbattle. My biggest concern with Gerri Colombe is his jumping. He’s safe and assured but he can be slow at times. That cost him at Cheltenham last season and I’d expect it to do so again.

Dinoblue confirmed herself a mare of real talent when boldly making all in the grade three Barberstown Chase at Naas 24 hours later.

She appeared to be a sitting duck for the patiently ridden Fil Dor but found plenty when challenged and pulled clear in the closing stages. It will take a good one to beat her, especially in mares only company.

The novice chase highlighted that it’s not only the UK that suffers with low sunlight with the two fences up the straight taken out. Grangeclare West was an impressive winner and looks likely to make into a better chaser than he was hurdler. However, I urge caution as often his first run of the season is his best.

Corbetts Cross made a satisfactory chasing debut back in third and wasn’t given the firmest of rides from Mark Walsh. My faith in him is undiminished and I fancy he’ll take high rank among the novices this season, though where he will be targeted is anyone’s guess given his connections affinity with left field thinking!

Racing TV will be showing action from Kempton, Carlisle and Fakenham on Monday. It was the card at Kempton that interested me the most and I have three selections.

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Easter India Express was an impressive bumper winner at the course in February. However, even though the runner-up Support Act won on his next start, I’m not completely sold on the merit of that form. The third-placed Highway One O Five was well beaten on his next two starts and the result was clearly a big of a surprise to the Henderson yard as Nico de Boinville was on their other runner. He might be smart but I’m keen to oppose him.

Kim Bailey has made an excellent start to the season with his winners to runners in the past fortnight being a decent 22%.

El Rio had looked likely to make a winning hurdle at Chepstow in February before falling at the last but showed no ill-effects when gaining compensation at Ascot in April. He pulled an easy 11 lengths clear of the 117-rated Mylesfromwicklow and an additional length clear of the 112-rated Spago.

Monks Meadow brings a good level of form and is open to improvement on just his second hurdle start but he was readily swept aside at Kempton by another Bailey inmate, Destroytheevidence and I’m sure El Rio is every bit his equal.

He possesses plenty of speed and is a slick and efficient hurdler. The forecast early morning rain should provide optimal conditions and despite having to concede a penalty I expect him to make all and comfortably win this.

La Renommee has been a model of consistency since tackling fences, either winning or placing in all but one of her starts. Unfortunately, that consistency doesn’t come without a cost and she has steadily climbed the handicap. Now rated 127, she may now find things tough.

Petticoat Lucy has taken well to fences, winning at Newton Abbot over 2m5f before coping with a 6lb higher mark and a drop back to 2m3f when winning at Exeter on her seasonal return - easily accounting for the 120-rated Maninsane.

That performance earned her another rise of 6lb in the weights but she surely has scope for more progression. This extra furlong is a positive as is the forecast morning rain. She has a lovely racing weight of 11st 3lb and can win this under her regular pilot Lorcan Williams.

Had looked to be running one of his better races before weakening in the home turn at Plumpton on his latest start. He reportedly scoped dirty after that effort which in my book gives him a legitimate reason for his tame finishing effort.

His official mark is now down to 110 and that looks a rating from which he has scope given that when he recorded his sole hurdle victory over at Plumpton he was conceding 8lb to the 110-rated Tenfold.

Even his sixth-place finish at Sandown in a class two handicap reads as a good line of form in a race of this nature.

There are plenty of experienced conditionals riding in this, but their relative experience does mean that many of them are ineligible to claim weight.

Elizabeth Gale lacks the experience of many of these but she’s impressed with her cool nature and looks composed and tidy through a race. I have no hesitation in suggesting she’s value for the 7lb she can claim against fellow conditionals.

In a wide-open contest Tapley looks worth chancing at a decent each-way price.