Andrew Mount's Racing Tips 23.12.24

Andrew scored with both his selections – SMITH (8-1) and SAMOURAI ONE (5-2) – in his latest column on Sunday and has three recommended bets/trades on Boxing Day (Thursday, December 26th)…

KEMPTON 1.20

There’s no denying that THE JUKEBOX MAN was impressive when landing the Grade 2 John Francome Novices’ Chase at Newbury last time but that was on a left-handed track and he jumped and hung to his left, as he has done throughout his career. He’s yet to race right-handed and it’s hard to escape the conclusion that Kempton’s sharp right-handed track is going to prove far from suitable when he tackles the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase. HYLAND and MASACCIO, the next two in the market, have also shown a preference for racing left-handed and I want the other two runners on my side. WHITE RHINO (number 4 on the racecard) is two from two over fences and has won this way round, while WELCOM TO CARTRIES (number 5) shaped well in Grade 2 company on his chase/seasonal debut at Sandown, going down by six lengths into fourth behind Handstands. That run, which was also his first since a wind operation, would have been needed and he’s likely to improve this afternoon. The best way to side with the pair is to buy DOUBLE NUMBER OF WINNER with Sporting Index.

Recommendation: Buy DOUBLE NUMBER OF WINNER in Kempton 1.20

WOLVERHAMPTON 3.00

CIVIL LAW is a regular in this 9.4f handicap, winning it in 2022 and finding only KING’S CODE (re-opposes today) too good 12 months ago when not ideally drawn in stall 1. Roger Teal’s seven-year-old struggles to re-produce that sort of form away from Wolverhampton but his full record at Dunstall Park stands at 1211174123 (5-10), improving to 12111 (4-5) when drawn between stalls 2 and 5. He’s in stall 3 today. Buy in the Sporting Index 50-25-10 market or take a fixed odds price.

KEMPTON 3.40

Henry Daly is having a good season, and his SUPREME GIFT could be the value play in the 2m5f handicap hurdle that ends Kempton’s card on Boxing Day. The seven-year-old managed to land a four-runner novices’ handicap chase at Ascot last term but didn’t really take to fences, his other wins over the larger obstacles resulting in defeats by 43 and 22 lengths as well as a non-completion. The application of a visor and the return to hurdles saw him revitalised in the latter stage of last season and after looking in need of his comeback run at Cheltenham in October, he scored gamely at Market Rasen the following month. His full record over hurdles now reads 1R119421371 (5-11), improving to 1R11211 (5-7) if we knock out his runs in Graded company and those at Cheltenham. He’s yet to race here but his latest win suggests that the flat right-handed track will suit. Buy in the Sporting Index 50-25-10 market or take a fixed odds price.

Recommendation: Back SUPREME GIFT in Kempton 3.40