Horse Racing Tips: Good day expected for Russell

A mix of jumps and Flat racing takes place across the UK and Ireland on Friday with five meetings taking place across the afternoon and into the evening. 

They go over jumps at Fakenham and Kelso alongside Southwell’s all-weather card in the afternoon, while the Friday Night Lights are on at Dundalk and Newcastle for their AW offerings. Amongst our Friday fancies are a few for trainer Lucinda Russell, who should have a good day with her runners. 

15:20 Kelso - Imagine @ 9/4

After making his mark with a Grade 2 novice chase victory, IMAGINE was sold for €320,000 and moved from Gordon Elliott’s stable to Harry Derham’s yard.

His form since the transfer has been below expectations, pulling up on his first run for new connections before finishing a well-beaten fifth last time out. However, the improvement between those two performances suggests he may be close to getting back on track.

Stepping down in trip here, he faces a significantly weaker field than in recent outings, with only three rivals, all rated lower than him. Given the circumstances, he should take this race comfortably under Paul O’Brien.

15:40 Fakenham - River Tyne @ 7/2

RIVER TYNE showed her staying capabilities when she won over three-and-a-quarter-miles at Fontwell two starts ago in a Boxing Day handicap chase.

She has since run at Plumpton, tailed off in fourth of five runners, but that was a hurdle race, so a line can be put through that run.

All three of this 10-year-old’s wins have come over fences in staying handicaps beyond three miles.

This contest takes place over three-miles-and-five-furlongs, and while she has not won over this distance before, she has shown enough to suggest the extra three-furlongs should not be an issue.

Rated 103, she will need to produce a career-best performance, but she has been in fantastic form over fences, with all three of her wins coming in the last year, and she appears to be getting better with age.

16:50 Kelso - Kool Raoul @ 5/2

Lucinda Russell, has a few good chances on the card at Kelso today, and she has a good chance of winning the last, as she has two declared for the bumper.

Imperfectlyperfect is making his debut under Rules, after two runs in point-to-points, and he will be ridden by stable jockey Derek Fox. However preference is for her other runner, KOOL RAOUL, who has already run in a bumper this season finishing second at Musselburgh in November.

He was only beaten a length that day, and after a small break could now show improved form. Connor McCann takes the ride and he boasts an impressive strike-rate of 31 per-cent (4-13) in bumpers this season, whereas Derek Fox is 0-4.

Click the links to find the latest Horse Racing Odds and Today's Horse Races

Find more Horse Racing Tips here at Betfred Insights