Alan Kelly’s Tips
Alan heads to Ffos Las on Thursday for his Nap of the Day
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A disappointing week ending Sunday, 25 October, which resulted in a loss of -£11.22 despite winning naps at 5/1 and 11/8 along with an opening 4/1 success on Saturday.
P/L for the week ending Sunday, 25 October: -£11.22
P/L for the year to date: +£188.38
P/L for the year 2025: +£22.38
P/L for the year 2024: +£200.42
P/L since 1st September 2022: +£688.94
Alan Kelly's Tips - Thursday, 29 October
The going for Stratford’s card on Thursday is described as soft, good to soft in places, while the second Jumps meeting of the day at Ffos Las has good ground on the chase course but heavy soft in places on the Flat track, which will be used for the four hurdle races.
2:30pm Ffos Las - Hellfire Princess
The Joe Tizzard stable is in great form at the moment and his Ugo Bingo ran out an easy winner of a 13-runner handicap at Chepstow 18 days ago, a repeat of which would make Brendan Powell’s mount very hard to beat, despite now racing off an 8lb higher mark.
I’m not convinced the seven-year-old will be suited by today’s testing conditions however, unlike the two joint top weights, It’s Easy and HELLFIRE PRINCESS. The former was beaten just half a length on her reappearance at Fontwell last week on the mare’s first start over hurdles for almost two years.
While the daughter of Kapgarde has a significant fitness advantage, Hellfire Princess will relish today’s heavy ground and runs off a mark only 6lb higher than when winning on her last two visits to the Welsh racecourse. Trainer Kerry Lee has made a quiet start to the season, but if the mount of 5lb claimer Benjamin Lacey is straight enough on her first start since winning over course and distance back in March, the nine-year-old can get her campaign off to the best possible start.
Recommendation: Hellfire Princess - 11/4 with bet365
3:50pm Stratford - Moor End
Top weight Ithaka has his first start for in-form trainer Alastair Ralph, the 10-year-old successful in a handicap chase at Hereford back in January before failing to complete the course on three subsequent outings for previous handler Ryan Potter.
The change of yard may bring about some improvement from Jonathan Burke’s mount, although the Libranno gelding has a poor record following a break. Pescatorius won a four-horse affair over three furlongs shorter on this course earlier in the month and will not fail through lack of fitness, while Tom Gretton’s One Last Glance finished last season with a couple of fine efforts at Leicester, but will need to defy today’s career-high mark of 100 if Connor O’Farrell’s mount is to prove successful on his first start for almost 8 months.
Emma-Jane Bishop’s MOOR END was last seen recording a second victory over fences when just getting home by the minimum margin in an extended 2m 7f handicap at Chepstow in March with today’s rider Lilly Pinchin in the saddle. The first of those wins came around this time last year following a break of just short of 7 months.
The son of Kingston Hill still looks more than capable of winning off today’s revised mark of 97, only 2lb higher than when winning that much more competitive race at the home of the Welsh Grand National. On only his 7th start over the bigger obstacles, Moor End has more improvement to come.
Recommendations: Moor End - 11/4 with bet365
4:00pm Ffos Las - Doctor Kildare (Nap)
The two most interesting contenders for this extended 3m 1f handicap chase, Rebecca Curtis’ Fairye Forth and DOCTOR KILDARE (Nap) for the Sam Thomas stable, will both be making their debuts over the bigger obstacles. The former won a point-to-point in Ireland almost two years ago before showing plenty of promise in three novice hurdles, culminating in a hard-fought success at odds of 3/10 on this course 6 months ago.
Sean Bowen’s mount should do well now switched to fences, but it is the Dai Walters-owned Doctor Kildare who appeals most as a potential top staying handicap chaser, and possibly the type for a race like the Welsh Grand National at some point in the future.
A Bangor Bumper winner when trained by Nicky Henderson in 2024, the Doctor Dino gelding won on his first two starts in handicap hurdles when switched to Sam Thomas 12 months ago before something was clearly amiss with Dylan Johnston’s mount when finishing a well-beaten last of the three finishers at Doncaster in a “Hands And Heels” contest.
Doctor Kildare performed much better on his most recent start over the Christmas period when fourth in a Class 2 handicap at Chepstow. Making his chasing debut off a mark of 116, I think the six-year-old has the scope to make up into a decent chaser, and with the stable just starting to hit a bit of form (Katate Dori finished an excellent second at Cheltenham on Saturday), the selection is fancied to make a winning start over the bigger obstacles.
Recommendations: Doctor Kildare (Nap) - 5/2 with Ladbrokes
This is Alan's Nap of the Day selection - see how it stacks up against Charlie McCann's pick.
* 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 Free Bets in 2008.
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