FREE RACING SERVICE: THREE STRONG BETS FOR SUNDAY

FREE RACING SERVICE: THREE STRONG BETS FOR SUNDAY. We landed one winner from the three selections on the website yesterday — and truth be told, we absolutely cleaned up with the other bets at Wetherby and Uttoxeter. With Christmas and the annual skiing trip fast approaching, we’re hoping to pile a bit more into the kitty. Don’t forget to follow us on X for more exclusive betting tips, which we don’t always have the time to post on the website!

A recent run is definitely an advantage, so GAELIC PRIDE must have a chance. That said, the son of Kool Kompany looks like he’ll want further than the minimum trip, and I’d be disappointed if something can’t outspeed the Warren Greatrex-trained five-year-old.

Irish point-to-point winner HOLD THE SERVE has joined a good yard and comes from a strong family. However, he ran green that day, and while he’s surely older and wiser now, I’m expecting similar immaturity on his hurdling debut.

TOUCH THE MOON, representing rookie Irish trainer William Durkan, reached a peak rating of 91 on the Flat when trained in the UK by George Scott. With that in mind, he always shaped like he’d make a fair hurdler — a theory backed up by two placed efforts over timber.

However, I’m siding with the James Owen-trained AMBIENTE FRIENDLY, who placed in last year’s English and Irish Derbies. While he hasn’t progressed further on the Flat, we know he has an engine, and he’s said to have schooled particularly well. I trust his trainer to have him spot on — and if so, a winning hurdling debut is very much on the cards.

According to his former trainer Harry Denham, QUEENSBURY BOY was laid out for the Persian War at Chepstow. His ex-owner publicly declared he was expected to win, and he was duly backed into 5/4. Anyone following my X feed would’ve seen I planned to lay him heavily — and I must admit, I made full use of the sheep piling in!

To be fair, while his run looked disappointing on paper, it shouldn’t be over-exaggerated. He should make a better chaser, and if I owned horses in the UK, I’d have happily paid the £75,000 he made at the David Maxwell dispersal — he has the potential to be a fun horse at a fair price. Still, I’m not expecting him to win on chasing debut, though a solid round of jumping should see him hit the frame.

I’m not keen on Irish-trained KIM ROQUE or KDEUX SAINT FREY. The former looks exposed, and Anthony Honeyball’s five-year-old wasn’t travelling with any conviction before falling here last time.

The lightly raced JORDAN’S CROSS made a seamless transition to fences and impressed when scoring on debut at Aintree. He won a point-to-point on soft ground and stays well, so everything looks set for another bold run.

However, I expect him — and the rest — to be beaten by fellow chasing debutant JIG’S FORGE.

The Ben Pauling-trained six-year-old won a point-to-point and bolted up on his hurdling debut, beating the 126-rated Blue Las. Though well held next time in a Grade 2, his best run came when finishing an excellent 6th of 20 in the Albert Bartlett. A midfield finish in a Listed hurdle at Perth was in line with expectations, and an opening mark of 132 looks very fair.

The son of Westerner is a proper chasing type. He goes well fresh, he stays further, and he won on seasonal debut last year. With the stable in flying form, he should be primed for the big occasion.

UNANSWERED PRAYERS won this last season and is only 1 lb higher today. He ran better on his return this year than he did last season, so he definitely has claims.

The well-backed RECORD HIGH should benefit from a recent run, but his form just looks a touch short. Since joining James Owen, SHANTOU LUCKY has been a revelation — winning five of his six starts and climbing from a mark of 79 to 120. He’s run well off similar ratings before, so he’s entitled to be competitive again.

All that said, I firmly prefer LIVIN ON LUCO. The lightly raced seven-year-old is a strong stayer and should relish this sort of track. What really appeals is Callum Pritchard claiming a valuable 5 lb — a big advantage over a marathon trip.

The Philip Hobbs / James White team supplied us with a nice winner yesterday, and we’re hoping for more of the same today!

The post FREE RACING SERVICE: THREE STRONG BETS FOR SUNDAY appeared first on Betting-Analyst.