Horse Racing Tips: Chemical Energy can return to winning ways

We had a weekend to savour from a horse racing point of view and the action continues on Monday, with four meetings taking place across Britain and Ireland.

Punchestown kicks us off with an eight-race card and is swiftly followed by Southwell and Carlisle. Wolverhampton provides the evening entertainment, so there’s loads of action to sink our teeth into. Amongst our horse racing tips for Monday is one for Gordon Elliott that could be set for a long overdue return to the winners’ enclosure at Punchestown.

13:00 Punchestown - Chemical Energy @ 10/1

Look out for Gordon Elliott’s CHEMICAL ENERGY as the nine-year-old could be set for a return to winning ways. His last success came in a novice chase at Cheltenham back in October 2022 and he got the better of the useful Mahler Mission by 61 lengths that day.

Whilst his record suggests better ground would be more suitable, he has enough form on soft ground to suggest he should be capable of winning a race of this stature. He was a solid third in the Munster National at Limerick in October and if producing a similar performance here, he should be bang in the mix.

There are no Willie Mullins runners in opposition, leaving the door open for Ireland’s second-best National Hunt trainer to grab another win. The yard’s form isn’t quite where you would want it to be perhaps but they have still had eight winners in the last fortnight.

It’s important to note that the weight conditions of this race certainly suit the 144-rated gelding and a big run is anticipated.

13:40 Southwell - Finn Lough @ 11/4

Consistency is always a good trait to possess and Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero’s runner Finn Lough definitely ticks that box. It’s easy to forgive his most recent effort, as he had no chance after a bad mistake at the second fence and pulling him up was a good move.

He remains lightly raced over fences, with just six starts to his name, and three of those resulted in second-place finishes. Getting off the mark in a better race at Doncaster on his penultimate start, he beat an Irish raider by a neck and the handicapper responded with a 3lb rise, which is hard to argue with.

There could well be more to come and this is an up and coming training partnership to follow. Finn Lough definitely deserves another chance here, especially as his jockey takes 3lb off.

15:30 Carlisle - Kalium @ 2/1

Tom Vaughan’s KALIUM could be one to watch upon switching to handicaps, as the five-year-old has made an excellent start to his career over hurdles. He bolted up in a Killarney bumper for previous connections and subsequently switched hands for £100,000.

Narrowly denied when second at Ludlow on hurdling debut, the horse who beat him was placed in a Grade 2 bumper at Aintree in the spring. Vaughan’s gelding went one better at Wetherby next time and was well on top at the finish.

He improved again to win in very comfortable fashion under a penalty at Fontwell on Boxing Day and the handicapper allotted him an opening mark of 121. Only just about squeezing into this 0-120, he’ll surely be racing in a higher grade before long.

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