Horse Racing Tips: Belliano to go one better for Team Ditcheat

Day one of Ascot's big Christmas Meeting is centre stage on Friday amid a total of five meetings across the UK and Ireland boasting 39 races.

Jumps fare comes up at Ascot as well as Uttoxeter, while they race on the all-weather at Southwell early in the day and then Wolverhampton and Dundalk under the Friday Night Lights. We have picked out a trio of runners worth keeping tabs on during Friday's action.

Horse Racing Odds

Today's Horse Races

13:20 Ascot - Belliano @ 10/11

BELLIANO would have to prove unfortunate to find anything in here with as much promise as The New Lion displayed at Chepstow in October.

Harry Cobden's partner was prominent throughout that 2m3½f maiden hurdle, but wasn't given an easy time by Kayf Dancer.

The champion jockey did his best to serve it up to The New Lion from three out, but Harry Skelton's mount had all angles covered and won decisively without going to the well.

He has followed up in a Newbury novice since and two more winners have emerged from the Chepstow race as the overall form looks solid.

Belliano, to his credit, didn't fold in the face of the pressure that afternoon and, with normal first-to-second run improvement, he should prove tough to beat over this slightly longer trip.

14:30 Ascot - An Breadan Fasa @ 16/1

The Racetech Handicap Hurdle over just shy of two miles will see AN BREADAN FASA carrying top-weight for trainer Jack Jones, but he might be worth supporting.

The son of Camelot showed ability last season, including when winning a juvenile event at Cheltenham in December on soft ground, while he also ran a solid race, in eighth, in the Boodles back there in March.

He's run sound races in the Cotswolds and at Huntingdon in two outings this season and has been eased to a mark of 120 for his troubles.

He sports a first-time tongue-tie and cheekpieces here and should relish the ease in the ground, while he gets in-form pilot James Bowen on board for the first time.

His yard has been amongst the winners lately and this stiff track can play to his strengths over this trip.

17:15 Dundalk - Molto Amichi @ 10/1

There is a good chance MOLTO AMICHI didn't see the trip out over 1m4f at the Curragh on his third turf start for trainer Eoin Griffin last month.

The gelded son of Caravaggio had twice previously run well in maidens at Punchestown and Leopardstown over 1m1f, beaten less than two lengths in each case.

He drops back to a bare mile here for his all-weather bow and is bred to flourish on this surface.

He was second-best behind 83-rated Finsceal Luas on penultimate start, clear of the remainder, and a repeat of that level of form might be good enough to see him make the breakthrough with Luke McAteer on board at Dundalk for this Polytrack bow.

Horse Racing Tips from Betfred Insights.