The Weekend Wager: Raceolly's Boxing Day Tips
1.20 Kempton - Get Your Ladbrokes £1 Free Bet Today Novices' Limited Handicap Chase
Your Darling won cosily on chase debut finishing 4 lengths in front of one that has won twice and finished a good second since and gone up 8lb in the handicap to 126. Your Darlings mark of 126 is very appealing on that line and he went off favourite for a very decent novice handicap at Aintree last month. Ran a decent race that day to finish 5th and will likely improve again for that effort. Ben Pauling has a 67% win rate at Kempton this season (2-3) and a 20% win rate over the last 5 years (10 wins from 49 runners)
3.40 Kempton - Ladbrokes We Play Together Handicap Hurdle
On To Victory running a massive race at this meeting last year when right upsides Third Time Lucki (now 152 rated chaser) when falling 2 out. Finished 2nd at the track before that behind one that hasn’t ran since but who was 129 rated with Alltheginjoints behind in 4th who went on to be rated 143. Gone off favourite both starts this season but return to Kempton, a drop in the handicap to 122 and a step up in trip could see him run to the level that is expected from this 6 times winner.
1.35 Wetherby - William Hill Home Of The Acca Novices' Handicap Hurdle
Philip Kirby is well worth watching in this race having won it 3 times in the last 6 years. Ravenscar only had the 5 hurdle starts to date and won 3 times on the flat at the start of the season. Dropped to a mark of 99 now and kept fit with a run on the flat at the start of the month. Ran her best race over hurdles on last start when only beaten 12 lengths off 3lbs higher.
2.10 Wetherby - Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase
Windsor Avenue finished 3rd in this race last year off 2lbs higher and made a very good return finishing 2nd to Snow Leopardess who went on to win again after and is now 12lbs higher. Form on second run after a break reads 11121P, the pulled up coming when hampered at the start at Cheltenham. Trainer has a decent record in graded races (5 winners from 32 runners over the last 5 years). Very inconsistent profile but second time out seems a good time to catch him and run in this race last year was very decent.
2.45 Wetherby - William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Handicap Hurdle
Ask Paddington has dropped 7 pound down the handicap in 3 runs for new yard and now finds himself 6 pound below last win mark. Ran best race for new yard last time out when showing up well for a long way despite being beaten 23 lengths in the end. Potential to go even better here and stable has had a decent run of form lately (4 winners from 25 runners over the last 2 weeks).
3.20 Wetherby - William Hill Betting TV Handicap Hurdle
Demi Sang has been well fancied nearly every start for the last year and possible a change of scenery could help the cause. Last win came in 2019 but that was off a mark of 135 so a massive 31 pound below that mark these days. Placed this year off 122 and Sara Ender has had a winner this season from 15 runners so far.