Horse Racing Tips: Derby runner-up Ambiente can flourish over hurdles

Christmas will soon be upon us and Monday’s racing is the last in Britain or Ireland before the excellent Boxing Day action. There are four meetings, with Lingfield kicking things  off in the morning and National Hunt action from Huntingdon and Musselburgh then follows, with Wolverhampton providing the evening entertainment.

We have three strong fancies to keep an eye on across the day’s action and these include a former derby runner-up who makes his handicap debut over hurdles at Huntingdon and should have a little too much class for his rivals.

12:20 Huntingdon - Khrisma @ 1/2

Beginning her career with Emmanuel Clayeux in France, KHRISMA was very smart in bumpers over there. She won a couple of 1m4f Grade 3 races and went on to finish third in a Grade 1 at Fontainebleu, with Willie Mullins’ Karoline Banbou just ahead of her in second.

Trainer Nicky Henderson has been in good form of late, operating at a very healthy strike-rate of 25 per cent, and Khrisma has shown plenty in three starts over hurdles for this yard. The daughter of Pastorius was an easy winner at Uttoxeter last month.

Always in control that day, she over-raced early on but that made no difference and the five-length winning margin wasn’t an accurate reflection of her dominance.

A penalty wouldn’t have stopped her that day and there should be more to come.

14:20 Huntingdon - Ambiente Friendly @ SP

Better known for his exploits on the Flat, AMBIENTE FRIENDLY finished second behind City Of Troy in the 2024 Derby when trained by James Fanshawe.

He then joined James Owen for a hurdling career and the Newmarket trainer does very well with ex-Flat recruits.

The son of Gleneagles made his debut over hurdles in a warm maiden at Cheltenham in November and did well to finish fourth, given how keen he was in the early stages.

That would have been a good learning experience and he was much more professional next time, when recovering well after being briefly headed at the second-last to battle back to win by half-a-length at Huntingdon.

The handicapper has given him an opening mark of 105 and he’s expected to be a good deal better than that in this sphere when eyeing another success at the Cambridgeshire venue.

15:20 Huntingdon - Hitintheheadlines @ 11/4

Dan Skelton is flying high at the top of the trainers’ championship, having already hit the £2,000,0000 mark, and is closing in on 100 winners for the season.

Impressive point-to-point winner HITINTHEHEADLINES looks well set to add to his tally.

He was in front jumping the last at Tallow in February and a last fence faller left him home and clear. There was plenty to like about that performance and he was privately purchased off the back of that success.

The four-year-old made his rules debut in a Class 3 bumper at Ascot last month and he ran with plenty of credit, going on to finish third.

His finishing effort faded in the final furlong and you would imagine he’ll improve for the run. This race looks a little easier as well.

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