Horse Racing Tips: Wingmen can soar to victory

We’ve got a pretty busy Friday on our hands this week, with five meetings taking place across Britain and Ireland.

Day one of Cheltenham’s December Meeting takes centre stage and there’s a £100,000 handicap to look forward to. Our three Friday horse racing tips all come from Cheltenham, including a Gordon Elliott novice hurdler who could be a horse to follow this winter.

12:10 Cheltenham - Wingmen @ 9/4

That's Nice looks set to go off favourite in the opening race at Cheltenham on Friday but the Nicky Henderson-trained mare may have to play second fiddle to Irish raider WINGMEN.

Gordon Elliott’s gelding scored by three lengths on his hurdles debut at Navan four weeks ago despite some sketchy jumping, an area Elliott will have worked on since.

That would have been a good learning experience for the six-year-old and he’ll be forced to hurdle better over a shorter trip on Friday.

The form of his bumper win at the Punchestown Festival in May has received a boost and the shrewd Elliott has put up Wigmen as a horse to follow this season.

13:50 Cheltenham - Chianti Classico @ 6/4

Kim Bailey’s CHIANTI CLASSICO returns to the scene of his Cheltenham Festival success and he is very much the one to beat on that evidence.

His disappointing effort at Aintree in April is easy to forgive given his exploits in winning the Ultima Handicap Chase and it’s unlikely to be an accurate reflection of his ability.

Chianti Classico made a good impression when winning at Ascot on his seasonal debut at the start of November, and while he’s risen 5lb in the handicap for that success, it may not be enough to stop him.

Connections have nominated the Cheltenham Gold Cup as the chaser's big target this season and he'll have to win this if he is to justify those lofty ambitions.

Money back as a Free Bet if your horse finishes 2nd in this race.

14:25 Cheltenham - Dashel Drasher @ 11/2

DASHEL DRASHER has been a talented dual purpose performer down the years.

Narrowly beaten in the 2023 Stayers’ Hurdle, Dashel Drasher won a Grade 2 over three miles at Newbury the following December in that sphere and made a satisfactory return to fences when third behind Pic d’Orhy in a Grade 2 at Ascot last month.

That’s a solid piece of form to bring to the table and, from a chase mark of 149, Jeremy Scott's 11-year-old has an excellent chance of getting his head in front against his fellow veterans.

This is a Super Extra Place race, meaning that Betfred are paying 4 Places instead of 3 for each way bets at 1/4 the odds.

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