Today's Racing Tips: Three selections for Leopardstown, Doncaster and Newbury

There are three bets for today’s action at Leopardstown, Doncaster and Newbury.

Leopardstown Tip

13:45 – 3m Neville Hotels Novice Chase (Grade 1)

RUN WILD FRED (1 point win bet at 5/2) has an unusual profile for a race like this having already proven himself against older and more experienced rivals. This second season novice failed to win over fences last year, but he was the runner up in the Thyestes Handicap Chase and ended the season with a fine second in the Irish Grand National. He returned to action in October, finishing second in a Grade 3 for novices before winning the ultra-competitive Troytown Handicap Chase by over seven lengths at Navan last time out. That level of form and experience gives him a rock-solid chance on this deserved step up to Grade 1 company and he will be tough to beat with conditions in his favour. A win today would see him shorten further for the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival (currently 5/1 favourite).

Doncaster Tip

14:13 – 3m½f Visit attheraces.com Handicap Hurdle (Class 3)

The easing of conditions at Doncaster will please the connections of THE COB (NAP – 1 point win bet at 3/1), who returned to action with an excellent second place finish at Sandown earlier this month. All three career wins have come on soft or heavy ground, including a 9-length novice Grade 2 success over this course and distance back in January. He travelled and jumped well that day and clearly appreciated the step up to three miles. His final start of last season saw him finish well beaten in the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and he now drops back into a Class 3 handicap. This will be just his twelfth career start (ninth over hurdles) so he remains open to more improvement from his mark of 137.

Newbury Tip

14:35 – 3m2f Follow @mansionbetrace On Twitter Mandarin Handicap Chase (Class 3)

As just a four-year-old, it is fascinating to see connections opt to run SAINT PALAIS (1 point win bet at 5/2) in this competitive handicap against more experienced rivals. Recruited from France, this exciting prospect was placed in his three starts over hurdles earlier this year and has since won both races over the larger obstacles in good style. The manner of those wins at Worcester and Wetherby suggests that he was well ahead of his handicap mark and a further 10lb rise shouldn’t be enough to stop him. As a brother to Lord Du Mesnil, he should be well suited by this step up in trip and should relish the test of stamina that this race will pose.