Lucky 15 Tips: Spirit Lead Me to more success

There are six UK and Irish meetings on Friday and while four of them are on the Flat, it's the moment National Hunt aficionados have been craving with the return of Cheltenham for a new season. The two-day Showcase Meeting in the Cotswolds is joined by action over obstacles from Sligo. On the Flat, Doncaster is joined by Newbury in offering some quality afternoon fare, while they are on the all-weather at Wolverhampton and Dundalk deep into the evening.

Our Lucky15 tips for Friday's racing includes impressive recent Kempton winner Spirit Lead Me for the Richard Hughes team on what could be a good day for the Upper Lambourn handler.

14:25 Cheltenham – Calico @ 4/1

The Dan and Harry Skelton team are starting to fire, they had an impressive first-time-out chase winner at Carlisle on Thursday, and the returning CALICO looks a major player for them in the squareintheair.com Handicap Chase at Cheltenham.

The eight-year-old is perhaps best known to this point for having given Jonbon a battle in the Grade 2 Kingmaker at Warwick in February 2023 as a novice.

He followed that up when scoring at Doncaster but is winless since. He ran here three times last season, shaping well at times but ultimately a little shy when it came to the Grand Annual in March.

He has a habit of running well after a layoff and a mark of 138 is tempting given he was only denied a nose behind Triple Trade over C&D on his comeback last season, with a few of these behind, and is now 6lb better off.

Place a win or each way single on any of the 14:25 Cheltenham. If your horse finishes 2nd, we will refund your stake in Free Bets up to £10.

14:43 Doncaster – Whiskey Pete @ 4/1

The straight mile at Doncaster awaits a 14-runner field in this Class 3 contest and WHISKEY PETE looks one to be interested in for Ralph Beckett and Rob Hornby.

The Night Of Thunder gelding has just one win from 10 career starts but it came on soft ground at York 12 months ago and he typically does best with give in the ground.

He had two tough challenges at Epsom and Royal Ascot in June in Class 2 events but, after a short break, has shaped well at the same venues in September over 1m2f trip on soft/heavy going.

He's still on a fair mark and will handle conditions and the drop in trip isn't a major worry, especially if they get down to business early on.

This is an Extra Place Race, so Betfred will be paying 4 Places (1/5 odds) instead of 3.

15:26 Newbury – Knebworth @ 6/1

The Richard Hughes-trained KNEBWORTH has continued to hold his form in a trio of runs this autumn, making the frame at Haydock and Doncaster before just fading out of the places back on Town Moor late last month.

He's a prominent racer but, even so, was in front a fair way from the end at Doncaster four weeks ago and if 5lb claimer Ethan Jones can delay the challenge just a little longer, this four-year-old is within 1lb of his last winning mark and should go close to a second soft-ground win of the season.

16:30 Wolverhampton – Spirit Lead Me @ 6/5

The Hughes team will also be eyeing a winner at Dunstall Park as recent Kempton scorer SPIRIT LEAD ME looks to go in again.

The money was down for the Calyx colt nine days ago on his all-weather bow and he went clear to win well under Finley Marsh, with the right horse chasing him home in terms of the market.

On that evidence a 6lb penalty won't be enough to prevent the follow up as he once more contends in Class 6 nursery company.

As a guide, a £0.25p each-way Lucky 15 on today's selections, at the prices, and assuming all four won, would return around £231 for your total £7.50 stake.

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