Alan Kelly’s Tips
Alan heads to Sedgefield on Tuesday for his Nap of the Day
Get daily horse racing tips from our in-house racing expert, Alan Kelly, who has spent over 40 years in the betting industry.
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Alan also highlights his strongest selection each day, so visit our Nap of the Day page to see which horse he fancies most.
Latest Profit & Loss Figures
Despite five out of six winning naps (9/4, 11/4, 3/1, 6/4, 6/4) we still managed to have a losing week, mainly down to a set of poor results on Saturday.
P/L for the week ending Sunday, 1 November: -£10.50
P/L for the year to date: +£177.88
P/L for the year 2025: +£22.38
P/L for the year 2024: +£200.42
P/L since 1st September 2022: +£678.44
Alan Kelly's Tips - Tuesday, 3 November
We head to the meeting at Sedgefield for Tuesday’s horse racing selections, the ground at the popular County Durham racecourse currently described as good.
We also have a selection for ‘The Race that Stops a Nation,’ namely, the Lexus Melbourne Cup which is due to get underway at 4:00am BST on Tuesday morning.
12:44pm Sedgefield - Luminaries
After being well beaten on his first four starts over fences around this time last year (pulled-up twice), the Ewan Whillans-trained LUMINARIES reverted back to the smaller obstacles without much success until finishing second on this course two months ago.
The nine-year-old went one better in races at Kelso and Southwell on his next two starts before trying his luck once again over fences when contesting a 3m Go North Forgive ‘N’ Forget Qualifier at Newcastle last week. After setting out to make all of the running, the Leading Light gelding was collared by favourite Royal Time on the Gosforth Park run-in.
That was a much improved effort over the bigger obstacles for Charlie Maggs’ mount, who can take advantage of the 17lb he receives from main rival Jeteye in this conditional jockeys’ contest. The Sam England stable has gone off the boil a little bit recently, although a repeat of Jeteye’s course and distance victory of 6 weeks ago would give the Jet Away gelding a chance of recording a 3rd win over fences.
Recommendation: Luminaries - 6/4 with Ladbrokes
2:29pm Sedgefield - Huit Reflets & Applejack Poet
Stuart Coltherd’s Treaty Boy ran out an easy winner at Kelso just over a week ago, the gelding’s first victory since his success at Catterick last February. That was a weak race at the Borders racecourse however, and I think Sean Quinlan’s mount will struggle to follow-up off a 9lb higher mark.
Philip Kirby’s Clean Getaway is always to be respected at the County Durham track, the Getaway gelding successful here 3 times over both hurdles and fences. However, my two against the field for this extended 2m handicap chase are the Mark Walford-trained HUIT REFLETS and APPLEJACK POET from the Barry John Murphy stable.
Huit Reflets’s sole victory over fences from 13 attempts to date came off today’s mark of 83 at last year’s popular Boxing Day meeting on this course. Jamie Hamilton’s mount has failed to repeat that performance on three subsequent visits to Sedgefield, but found only one too good on two occasions. Back over fences following a couple of recent runs over hurdles, Huit Reflets is expected to go close off his last winning mark.
Joint bottom weight Applegate Jack has been beaten on all 8 attempts over fences, but was still in with every chance when falling 2 out over today’s course and distance in September, since when Callum Pritchard’s mount has run well on three subsequent starts, the first on the Flat at Bath before being placed over fences at Worcester and Stratford. The nine-year-old should be competitive off today’s career-low mark of just 78.
Recommendations: Huit Reflets - 11/1 with bet365 & Applejack Poet - 8/1 with bet365
3.39pm Sedgefield - Curious Mrs Fox (Nap)
This will be the 35th career start for the David Thompson-trained mare CURIOUS MRS FOX (Nap), the daughter of Dragon Dancer yet to trouble the judge in 25 runs on the Flat (9 on the all-weather) and 9 over hurdles. The mount of 5lb claimer Joshua Thompson will never have a better chance of losing her maiden tag than in this desperate novices’ limited handicap off today’s mark of 86.
Still only a five-year-old had her first run over the smaller obstacles back in March, since when the mare has improved with each run, most recently when beaten a short head over today’s course and distance two weeks ago. Beaten a combined distance of just over four lengths on her last 4 outings, the selection would certainly not be winning out of turn in a race which is there for the taking.
Curious Mrs Fox’s 10 rivals have very little to suggest they are ready to record a first win over hurdles, the most interesting being Barry John Murphy’s Charles Morin, who has at least managed to record a couple of wins on the Flat, one on turf and one on the all-weather.
Recommendation: Curious Mrs Fox (Nap) - 6/4 with bet365
This is Alan's Nap of the Day selection - see how it stacks up against Charlie McCann's pick.
4:00am Flemington - Point Of Law
Irish trainer Joseph O’Brien is going all out in a bid to win Australia’s most famous race for a third time following the victories of Rekindling in 2017 and Twilight Payment three years later. O’Brien has chances with all four of his runners, although one of his main hopes, Defiantly, has been deemed unsuitable to run on veterinarian advice. However, I prefer the claims of Ciaron Maher’s POINT OF LAW, the trainer successful with Gold Trip in the 2022 renewal of the two mile handicap.
The son of Frankel ran in the colours of HM The King when trained by John & Thady Gosden, winning Newmarket’s Group 3 Bahrain Trophy at the July meeting on his fourth and final start for connections until joining Maher the following month instead of going for the St Leger at Doncaster, for which Point Of Law was quietly fancied.
Ethan Brown’s mount won the Group 3 Geelong Cup on his first start for the stable off an opening mark of 100, and with plenty more improvement to come, still looks potentially well-treated racing off a 7lb higher mark towards the bottom of the weights. At a big price, Point Of Law’s stablemate Zahrann makes some each-way appeal
Recommendation: Point Of Law - 11/2 with William Hill
* 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 against the bookmakers.
Since joining Free Bets in 2008, he has helped readers find the best value each day.
You can also follow Alan Kelly on X for more racing insight.
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