Alan Kelly’s Tips
Alan heads to Kempton on Wednesday for his best bet of the day
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A break-even week with a profit of just +£0.10. Another five second over the six days, making it a frustrating 12 in the last fortnight, including our 28/1 tip Nine Nine Nine, backed into 11/2 at Leicester on Wednesday.
- P/L for the week ending Sunday, 14 December: +£0.10
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Alan Kelly's Tips - Wednesday, 17 December
While the ground at both Newbury and Ludlow is currently described as good to soft for Wednesday’s two jumps meetings, conditions are expected to soften with rain forecast for both venues.
12:13pm Ludlow - Un Sens A La Vie
Robbie Llewellyn’s Perth Bumper winner of earlier in the year, Not For Passin, was still to be asked a serious question when falling 3 out in a Huntingdon maiden hurdle on his debut for the stable last month. The mount of 3lb claimer Charlie Price should be opening his account over hurdles before too long, a remark which applies to Unknown Entity who has his first start for Dan Skelton since leaving Closutton trainer Willie Mullins this month.
The unraced Cracksman gelding Caspari is worth a look on his racecourse debut for Nicky Henderson but Ludlow’s opener should go to the Nigel & Willie Twiston-Davies-trained UN SANS A LA VIE. An easy winner on his hurdling debut at Market Rasen two months ago, the gelding was too free when only 7th in a Cheltenham Grade 2 on his next outing before performing much better when runner-up at Kempton on his most recent start.
No match for winner Old Park Star, Sam Twiston-Davies’ mount faced an impossible task in trying to concede 6lb to the winner, who was most impressive when winning a strong novices’ hurdle at Cheltenham on Friday. Despite a field of 16, Un Sens A La Vie should prove much better class than his rivals.
Recommendation: Un Sens A La Vie - 8/11 with bet365
2:33pm Newbury - Icare Grandchamp (Each-Way)
The Gordon & Su Hall-owned Don’t Tell Su will be having his first run for Nicky Henderson since leaving the stable of Paul Nicholls recently, the owner/trainer combination already successful with Friday’s impressive Cheltenham winner Old Park Star, who is as short as 10/1 for next year’s Supreme Novices Hurdle at the festival.
Beaten 25 lengths when only 4th of 6 on his chasing debut at Sandown back in March, the Soldier Of Fortune gelding is best watched on his first start for the Seven Barrows team. Jonjo & A J O’Neill’s Peso, an easy winner over hurdles on this course 12 months ago, makes his chasing debut and looks the type to do well over fences and any market support for the lightly-raced grey should be noted.
In an open contest, the vote goes to bottom weight ICARE GRANDCHAMP (Each-Way) from the bang-in-form stable of Gary & Josh Moore. Caoilin Quinn’s mount has not been seen since winning a Class 4 handicap at Southwell 13 months ago but has run well following a break in the past and has been raised only 1lb for that second win over fences from 5 starts.
Hopefully, the ground at the Berkshire track does not deteriorate too much as the Harry Redknapp-owned son of Kapgarde is fancied to take advantage of the 8lb to 23lb he receives from his eight rivals.
Recommendation: Icare Grandchamp (Each-Way) - 11/1 with bet365 (3 places)
5:40pm Kempton - Heathcliff (Each-Way) (Nap)
A competitive field of 11 runners for this Class 2 London Sprint Series Qualifier. Andrew Balding’s Berkshire Whisper has a good record on an artificial surface with 3 wins and 2 seconds from the colt’s 5 starts, while the son of Dark Angel was far from disgraced on turf with creditable efforts in Newbury’s Listed Carnarvon Stakes and Royal Ascot’s Group 1 Commonwealth Cup.
Making his reappearance at Southwell last month, Jason Watson’s mount failed by a neck to concede a stone to Tony Carroll’s surprise winner Betsen and is sure to strip fitter with that race under his belt. So Darn Hot, Coul Angel, Hucklesbrook and Purest Time are others with claims but I think this race could be run to suit the James Fanshawe-trained HEATHCLIFF (Each-Way) (Nap), the mount of jockey Billy Loughnane.
The Iffraaj gelding has an excellent record at Kempton with form figures reading 1-3-1-2-1-2-6-2. In need of the run when weakening after making much of the running in a valuable 7f handicap at Newcastle following a break of 163 days, Heathcliffe wasn’t suited by the modest pace when finishing a neck second to fellow rival Coul Angel over today’s course and distance last month.
In a race where there is sure to be plenty of pace up front, the each-way selection is fancied to go close if getting the breaks from his draw in stall 6.
Recommendation: Heathcliff (Each-Way) (Nap) - 5/1 with bet365 (3 places)
* 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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