Horse racing tips: Monday bets from Pontefract and Plumpton

2.00 Pontefract: Local Dynasty

He's a short price but should take a bit of beating in this Listed prize.

Although he flopped in the Acomb Stakes on his penultimate start – his second career run – he finished closer than looked likely three furlongs from home and that race might have come just a bit soon after looking pretty raw on debut on the July Course.

The early sectionals were pretty brisk on the Knavesmire too and I don’t think that helped him at that early stage of his developement, while the fact he went off as 5-2F indicates his standing among his stable's strong juvenile clutch in a race won by the subsequent Dewhurst winner.

Local Dynasty was impressive at Sandown last time when defying a penalty under a hands-and-heels ride and he looked as if he had matured and learnt from his experience at York, while he still has more to offer over this mile trip.

The strength of Charlie Appleby’s juvenile cohort has been well-remarked upon this season and the stable has 10 wins from 20 runs with their two-year-olds in Group and Listed company in Britain this year (1.22 A/E). At Listed level, the yard is four from five this term (1.37 A/E).

3.10 Pontefract: Poker Face

He's looked promising in both novice wins so far – the form of which has some substance – and he can make it three from three in his career on this handicap debut.

Poker Face won here on debut and raced like he was very much learning on the job but still pulled clear by over three lengths after a sedate early gallop (109% finishing speed) before racing more professionally at Newcastle and once again looking strong at the finish.

He steps up to 10 furlongs from a mile now and that promises to suit on the visuals so far as well on pedigree, with sire Fastnet Rock having a 14.7 per cent strike-rate at the longer trip in Britain and Ireland as opposed to a 11.6 per cent strike rate at a mile. Poker Face is out of a Galileo mare while his granddam produced Oaks winner Blue Bunting and former Balldoyle charge and Australian 1m6f winner Exemplar.

Poker Face is top-rated here but gets the 4lb allowance for three-year-olds and, in a race greater on numbers than progressive and in-form rivals.

Since starting up in 2015, the Crisford stable has outperformed market expectation with handicap debutants (1.09 A/E) and, in class 4 handicaps like this one and lower, the figures read better still (1.14 A/E) at a 27.4 per cent strike-rate.

4.30 Plumpton: Sergeant

He shaped well in the same grade over course and distance last time and can figure more prominently now from an unchanged mark.

It was very noticeable at the last meeting here that nothing came from off the pace on ground described as good to firm by Timeform - quicker than the official description - so Sergeant always had a mountain to climb given he was well behind at the start of the back straight before the downhill run.

His fourth-placed finish as the Evens favourite looks superficially disappointing, but he looked like getting third at one stage behind a winner who got the run of things out in front and he ran the final mile 0.85s quicker than runner-up Glimpse Of Gold, who re-opposes here.

Sergeant is a reliable and consistent performer and conditional rider Bradley Harris eases his weight by a further 7lbs. Harris has 4 winners from 68 Flat rides from the autumn of 2020 and throughout last year, but over jumps this year he has 9 winners from 31 rides (29 per cent strike-rate, 1.1 A/E) and looks decent value for his claim.