US racing tips: Tom Collins focuses on Delaware Park for his two bets on Monday

Glengar
6.45 Delaware Park
2pts win

Auld Lange Syne
8.45 Delaware Park
1pt win

Tampa Bay Downs and Delaware Park lead the way in the US on Monday and although followers of this column will be much more accustomed to the former venue, the eight-race card at the track leaves a lot to be desired.

The Delaware meet began just five days ago and although I wouldn't say my knowledge of the local horses is as good as at Belmont Park or Gulfstream, I quite fancy my chances of recording a couple of winners on an attractive card for punters.

Interestingly, a few of the bigger trainers from across the country have already run the odd horse at the smaller East Coast track, which has unsurprisingly produced good results.

One of them is Irishman Kieron Magee, who is based in Maryland and can be regularly found at the top of the trainers' standings at Laurel Park and Pimlico.

Magee tends to have a few runners at the Delaware meets to a varying degree of success (11-40 in 2018, 3-21 last year), but he has already saddled two winners from just four runners here in the last five days and has two representatives tonight.

His best chance could be the rather frustrating but ultra-consistent Glengar, who will break from gate six in the $15,000 claimer (6.45) over a mile and 70 yards.

A gelded son of Freedom Child, who won the Grade 2 Peter Pan Stakes over a mile, Glengar took just three attempts to get off the mark and he did so in fine style in maiden claiming company at Laurel Park for Magee in November 2018.

He switched yards after that victory and went to Claudio Gonzalez's barn, for whom Glengar placed three times in four starts in starter optional claimers. He tends to break slowly but has a nice chance of acceleration to move into contention before flattening out in the final furlong over this trip.

Glengar had a year off the track between February 2019 and March 2020, so clearly had a problem, but found his way back to Magee, who would have been happy with his reappearance second in a better race than this.

He failed to build on that when just fourth last time but he was given an aggressive ride that day and paid for the early exertions in the straight when he faded from second to fourth.

Given there is pace in this field I expect Magee to revert back to hold-up tactics with this five-year-old, who should relish the slight drop in grade. Carol Cedeno is a talented rider.

The leading trainer at the track for the last two years has been Jamie Ness and although he has been unlucky so far this meet (0-15, seven places), he is taken to record his first victory when Auld Lange Syne lines up from the inside post in the $16,000 claimer (8.45).

This doesn't look a great race at all and hopefully rider Trevor McCarthy can get a nice tow into the race along the rail on this stout stayer.

Auld Lange Syne ran well when third on his only start at this track in August last year and he looked better than ever when staying on powerfully to win a claimer at Laurel Park just nine days ago.

He looked beaten on the home bend when he was being asked for maximum effort, but he picked up takingly when switched out wide and won a tad cosily despite the narrow winning margin. Hopefully he can back up that success.

Place bets on international races with the Racing Post. Log in to your bookmaker accounts in the Accounts tab and then click cards to view the racecards