Lucky 15 Tips: A horse to watch in staying test

I know Cheltenham are racing today, but for our Lucky 15 tips for Friday, December 13 I'm happily popping off to Southwell, and their nine-race all-weather gathering that kicks in at 16:15. Lots of Chelters material will be provided by my learned colleagues in any event, elsewhere within Insights.

It won't surprise any regular readers to know that I really enjoy the 'sand' meetings, and believe they offer very decent flat racing action where form and track familiarity is of great import. There are some jocks and trainers who just seem to excel, as in every walk of life, in various settings and disciplines. Let's enjoy them this afternoon/early evening.

Horse Racing Odds

16:45 - King Of Ithica @ 7/4

A 7f handicap, for three-year-olds and upwards.

My selection, trained at Newmarket by James Tate, is a course-and-distance scorer (so important here in my view). The four-year-old Ulysses gelding has been in great form all year really, and career-wise has four wins from 22 starts - all those successes being achieved on the all-weather, and two of them here.

King Of Ithica gets the outstanding Rossa Ryan up top, and the pair were successful at Kempton in September 2023, off a mark of 65. Having won here off 67 early last month he must now defy 71, but such was the manner of his performance the last day I'm very hopeful that he may be up to the task, stepping up slightly in grade, too.

7f looks his trip but getting a shade further (he's gone close previously over a mile) is no bad thing, especially here.

17:15 - King David @ 6/4

A three-year-old Exceed And Excel gelding now, Marco Botti trains, and Marco Ghiani rides.

Two runs ago off a mark of 71, in a similar affair here, King David was denied by just a neck, running on, and looks to go one better today off the same spot.

He possibly didn't really stay the one-mile-and-change at Wolves last time, and can have his consistency rewarded on Friday with a second career success on what will be his ninth start.

17:45 - Heathen @ 15/8

A small but select field contest a Class 3 handicap, over two miles and half-a-furlong.

Heathen is another who has won here previously, and hails from the mighty North Yorkshire yard of David O'Meara. He's a five-year-old Lope De Vega gelding looking to defy a 3lb hike for a comfortable success over a couple of furlongs shorter than this 31 days ago.

He's tried this far a couple of times and though the cards haven't quite fallen as they might I don't think we can assume he won't take it in his stride now he's back in the winners' circle, and in rude order.

Admire the trainer greatly, and this one runs in the Horse Watchers livery - no shrewder bunch, arguably, in racing ownership.

18:45 - Elegant Call @ 7/4

Rossa Ryan rides this three-year-old Soldier's Call filly for trainer Mick Appleby.

She shipped in from Tim Easterby's early last month, and has her second run for Mick after five career spins to date. Last time at Lingers was a pretty modest effort, but she's shown promise in her back catalogue, form-wise, and the booking of Rossa is viewed as a massive positive.

The trainer is a master at maximising the potential of horses that have perhaps not prospered as well as they might have, and I'm hoping Elegant Call can do her new connections, and us, proud on Friday.

This is an example of a Lucky 15. If you can improve upon my selections (of course you can), then go for it!

The odds can fluctuate between publishing our pieces and race-time. As a guide, a £0.50p win Lucky 15 on today's selections, at the prices, and assuming all four won, would return around £94 for your total £7.50 stake.

Fred, 'The Bonus King,' invented the 'Lucky' series of bets and their bonuses. My colleague Adam has set out all you need to know with this handy guide - take a look by clicking here.

Horse Racing & Greyhound bets only. Excludes Virtual Racing. 5x odds on Lucky 63. 4x Odds Lucky 31. 3x Odds Lucky 15. All selections must run. Paid in cash if only 1 winner. T&Cs Apply.

Lucky 15 tips from Betfred Insights.