Alan Kelly’s Tips
Alan heads to Musselburgh on Monday for his best bet of the day
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Latest Profit & Loss Figures
Not the best of weeks in the lead up to the Christmas period with a loss of -£10.89.
Impose Toi advertised his Stayers Hurdle claims with a victory in Saturday’s Long Walk Hurdle and still looks decent value at the 8/1 currently available with bet365.
Held-up right at the back in a slowly run race, Saturday’s nap Mondo Man was always going to struggle in an effort to make up the ground, but there is a decent handicap to be won with Gary & Josh Moore’s charge this season.
- P/L for the week ending Sunday, 21 December: -£10.89
- P/L for the year 2025 to date: +£45.02
- P/L for the year 2024: +£200.42
- P/L since 1st September 2022: +£531.01
Alan Kelly's Tips - Monday, 22 December
Monday is the final day for horse racing until the prospect of some mouth-watering jumps action on Boxing Day.
Good to soft conditions are expected for Monday’s two jumps cards at Musselburgh and Huntingdon.
12:20pm Huntingdon - Shotgun Shirley (Each-Way)
The J P McManus-owned/Nicky Henderson-trained Khrisma will be a warm order to follow-up her easy victory at odds of 1/25 in a Herring Queen Mares’ Nov’ Qualifier at Uttoxeter last month, the daughter of Pastorius previously runner-up to a 148-rated horse of Gordon Elliott’s at the Punchestown Festival, although Nico de Boinville’s mount was in receipt of a stone on that occasion.
While Khrisma is clearly very useful, I was impressed with Lucy Wadham’s hurdling debutante SHOTGUN SHIRLEY (Each-Way) in a Listed National Hunt Flat race at Cheltenham last month, the mare staying on strongly to beat all bar the well-supported Irish-trained Celestial Tune from the Thomas Cooper stable.
The Soldier Of Fortune filly has improved with each of her 4 starts to date and looks a good prospect now going over hurdles. In receipt of 7lb from Khrisma, I expect a big run from Tom Cannon’s mount in a race where few of the 15 runners can be given much of a chance.
Recommendation: Shotgun Shirley (Each-Way) - 4/1 with bet365 (3 places)
1:08pm Musselburgh - Mountain Molly (Nap)
I’ve been waiting for the Russell/Scudamore-trained MOUNTAIN MOLLY (Nap) to go over fences following four promising runs over hurdles; connections look to have found a good opportunity for this Irish point-to-point winner to win at the first time of asking off an opening chase mark of 110.
After winning a mares’ novices’ hurdle at Perth on her first start of the season in September, the mount of Patrick Wadge was only just outpointed by Olly Murphy’s Diamond Geezer on her handicap debut at the Scottish racecourse the following month, the daughter of Mount Nelson headed jumping the last after attempting to make all of the running.
In trying to concede 4lb to the well-backed winner and with the rest of the field nine and a half lengths and more behind, that was a promising effort from a horse always destined for a career over the bigger obstacles. Mountain Molly possesses far more scope than any of her 7 rivals, best of which is probably recent course winner Benefit Ben and Donald McCain’s Kadjar Des Mottes, challenging for the lead when falling 2 out on his chasing debut at Sedgefield last month.
Recommendation: Mountain Molly (Nap) - 2/1 with bet365
1:20pm Huntingdon - Lunar Ocean
Two from seven over fences earlier in the year when trained by Dan Skelton, the five-year-old Gwennie May Jem joined Olly Murphy in November, the gelding well beaten on his debut for the stable on heavy ground at Bangor later that month. The mount of champion jockey Sean Bowen can be expected to improve for that run, although preference is for the Billy Aprahamian-trained LUNAR OCEAN.
The son of Sea Moon has yet to open his account over fences but has finished runner-up on four of his five starts over the bigger obstacles since leaving trainer Paul Webber, including when beaten less than a length by Paul Nicholls’ Fortunate Fella at Fontwell back in May.
Today’s rider Gavin Sheehan was in the saddle on that occasion for the first time and the excellent jockey will be the first to admit he gave his mount a lot to do when held-up off the pace in that novices’ handicap. Running off the same mark of 78, the six-year-old is fancied to open his account at the 6th attempt on his return to fences following a run over hurdles at Worcester during the summer.
Recommendation: Lunar Ocean - 7/2 with bet365
2:50pm Huntingdon - Grain Trade
Jockey Gavin Sheehan should be 2 from 2 on the Billy Aprahamian-trained GRAIN TRADE, the Telescope gelding an easy winner of a novices’ handicap chase at Market Rasen in October before falling at the final fence with the race won at Fontwell nine days later.
3lb Claimer Jack Andrews took over from Sheehan on this course last month, the six-year-old eventually being pulled-up after stopping quickly going to the second-last. Whatever the reason for that below-par effort, the previously progressive Grain Trade deserves another chance over today’s three and a half furlong shorter trip and with Sheehan back in the saddle once again.
The Twiston-Davies-trained joint top weight Electric Eddy should improve for his first run over fences when runner-up at Hereford last month, a remark which also applies to Forcetoreckonwith from the Greenall/Guerriero stable, the daughter of Workforce a close second at Sedgefield last month on her second start over the bigger obstacles.
Recommendation: Grain Trade - 8/1 with bet365
* Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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About Alan Kelly
A passionate follower of horse racing for over 50 years, Alan has enjoyed a 40-year career in the betting industry, 28 of which he spent running his betting shop as an owner/manager.
A successful punter with a keen eye for value, Alan has had many betting highlights, including a Scoop 6 win and has shown a consistent profit in the battle with bookmakers since joining Freebets.com in 2008.
You can follow Alan Kelly on Twitter for more racing insight.
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