Horse Racing Tips: Katie Midwinter's best bets on Monday including 11/1 Listowel Harvest Festival pick

• Katie Midwinter has selections across the cards on Monday

• Dragon Of Malta can strike in familiar surroundings

• Unexposed contender makes appeal at Leicester

Listowel, 14:02 - Back Dragon Of Malta @ 13/27.50

With form figures of 324102 at the Kerry track, all of which came in competitive handicaps featuring 10 runners or more, Pat O'Donnell-trained Dragon Of Malta is a horse to keep onside when featuring here.

The likeable eight-year-old is now 10lb lower than his previous success, which came over 7f at this meeting two years ago when justifying favouritism under Oisin Murphy, He has made the frame on occasions since, including when narrowly denied at odds of 20/121.00 in a Gowran Park mile handicap earlier this month.

Up 3lb for his latest effort, Dragon Of Malta remains on a workable mark from which he can strike, and the softer conditions are certain to be in his favour. Four of his five career wins have been on ground with soft or heavy in the description, and, with course form in his favour too, Dragon Of Malta is a contender to note, capable of putting in a winning performance in the hands of Donagh O'Connor.

Hamilton, 14:58 - Back Ice Cold Alex @ 9/110.00

Ice Cold Alex showed a good level of form on occasions during his first four starts, beating subsequent winner Saucy Jane, who went on to finish a creditable fourth in Listed company, in a Pontefract novice event on debut, before performing respectably behind the likes of Old Is Gold, Naval Light, and now 95-rated Rakeeb at Beverley.

On handicap debut over this course-and-distance in July, the son of Soldier's Call was only narrowly denied by 8/111.73 favourite Rogue Supremacy in a four-runner contest, defying odds of 10/111.00 when beaten only by a £160,000 breeze-up purchase who has since been just touched off at Group Three level. 

Trained by Ollie Pears, who is currently performing at a 36 percent strike-rate, Ice Cold Alex is bidding to return to form following a disappointing effort in a higher class handicap here over 6f, in which he was a significant drifter from 13/27.50 out to a starting price of 28/129.00. He has previous course form and should be well treated from a mark of 78 based on some of his previous efforts and the ability he has shown.

Whilst the softer conditions may not be ideal based on his pedigree, he didn't appear to completely hate the outing in good to soft here when last seen and he may be able to cope with this easier surface.

The juvenile is out of Martha Watson, a half-sister to four-time Stakes winner Dandy Man, and Queen Mary Stakes winner Anthem Alexander, who was narrowly touched off in the Cheveley Park Stakes and won a Group Three in ground with yielding in the description.

There's some class in the family and Ice Cold Alex should prove better than his current rating of 78, capable of showing further progression and improvement and making appeal under Cam Hardie at odds of 9/110.00.

Listowel, 15:12 - Back Si Senor E/W @ 11/112.00

Trainer Patrick Magee has saddled a winner, a second, and a third from four rides at Listowel, recording a €25 profit to a €1 level stake. He is represented by a daughter of Bungle Inthejungle, Si Senor, in this extended mile handicap, and the filly could be worth keeping the faith in as she seeks a third career success.

Making her 29th start, the four-year-old is partnered by 7lb claiming Patrick McGettigan from only a 1lb higher mark than her previous success, which came over an extra furlong at Ballinrobe in June. Since then, the filly hasn't been as effective but has had her excuses following slow starts.

When last seen, she allowed her rivals a great advantage, emerging from the stalls late when losing plenty of ground on the main pack. She was able to make up ground late at Galway, however, to be beaten only three-and-three-quarter-lengths, and, based on that effort, could be a filly to stick with. 

A dual winner who has been effective in softer conditions previously, Si Senor makes the most appeal in this contest, holding strong each-way claims, particularly if she's able to get off to a strong start.

Leicester, 15:18 - Back Pull The Rug @ 9/25.50

Ed Bethell-trained Pull The Rug appears well treated on a mark of 65 considering some of the form she has shown in maiden and novice company during the summer.

Following a debut seventh, the daughter of Mehmas improved plenty to be beaten only two-and-three-quarter-lengths by subsequent Ayr Listed winner Chairmanfourtimes, who will improve beyond her current rating of 81 following her recent black-type victory and who had previously been denied only half-a-length in a competitive York handicap at the Ebor Festival.

Pull The Rug then caught the eye in defeat at Beverley, in a 5f novice contest won by hugely exciting prospect Catching The Moon, who also recorded a Stakes success at Ayr over the weekend, claiming Group Three honours in the Firth Of Clyde. The second and third have both won since, and Pull The Rug appeared to have more left at the line when emerging with credit on that occasion, shaping with promise.

On handicap debut at Wolverhampton when last seen, in her first all-weather start, Pull The Rug was bumped at the beginning of the race upon leaving the stalls which didn't help her cause. Despite this, she ran on well and put in a creditable effort in her first start in this sphere, and can fare even better this time around.

Callum Rodriguez, who rarely appears at the track, has two rides on this card and his mount could prove worth keeping onside in this handicap. The rider has an all-time strike-rate of 20 percent for the trainer, and they can strike with Pull The Rug, for whom a maiden success appears imminent, in this 6f sprint.

Listowel, 16:20 - Back Starford @ 3/14.00

A 7lb claiming Dylan Browne McMonagle won this handicap five years ago when partnering the talented Baron Samedi to victory for Joseph O'Brien, and the pair are represented by another three-year-old in Starford this time around.

The son of Beckford makes his seventh start in this contest, and, although he doesn't boast the form of Carriganóg Racing's former winner, he has a pair of successes to his name already, including a convincing Roscommon win in his penultimate start for which he was given a 13lb rise.

He was only narrowly denied by Donnacha O'Brien-trained Kilmeaden in his latest start, beaten only by a rival who had previously finished a length-and-a-quarter second to future Queen's Vase winner Carmers, now rated 114.

In his maiden victory at Gowran Park, over an extended 1m1f in soft conditions, Starford made a successful start in handicap company from a rating of 67, narrowly beating Onemoredance, who was in receipt of 4lb. The runner-up, a daughter of King Of Change trained by Johnny Murtagh, is now rated 28lb higher on a mark of 91 following three wins.

The sadly ill-fated Woodshaw Whisper, who had previously beaten Propose, a subsequent winner over the likes of now 92-rated Esherann and 89-rated Our Friend Mouse, was further behind in third.

There's plenty to like about progressive gelding Starford, who is open to further improvement and remains unexposed in handicap company with the ceiling of his ability an unknown. From a rating of 90, he can pose a dangerous threat in receipt of the weight-for-age allowance from his elder rivals, and can put in a bold bid.

Now read Sam Turner's Monday Racing Tips!