Lucky 15 Tips: Charlie mounts powerful raid from Middleham Moor

The week hurtles along - two winners to report on Tuesday, resulting in a return of nearly treble the recommended stake, and just the one from Kempton on Wednesday which unfortunately we couldn't improve upon.

Right - Thursday, December 12 is at hand - and for our Lucky 15 tips I propose visiting Chelmsford, who have a nine-race programme on their Polytrack surface that commences at 16:30. Many of the sport's big names are in attendance, and it should be a very entertaining late afternoon/early evening down in Essex.

Horse Racing Odds

Today's Horse Races 

17:00 - Cloth Of Gold @ 8/11

Trainer Charlie Johnston arrives from North Yorkshire with several live chances on the card, and this is certainly one of them.

Cloth Of Gold is a twice-raced, two-year-old Sea The Moon colt. Jason Hart, on top last time at Southwell 38 days ago, again takes the mount. On that occasion he ran a blinder, beaten just a neck in an 11-runner maiden.

Southwell is nothing like as testing as in the old Fibresand days before their Tapeta track was laid in 2021, but I think it mimics Chelmsford's Polytrack somewhat in that it's a fair pull to home up the straight, not necessarily in terms of distance, but there's an emphasis on staying power. Very few come there swinging on the steel to saunter to victory.

There's a typical Johnston pattern playing out here trip-wise, too, as Cloth Of Gold steps up to 10f from a mile, and though his sire won at a mile at two, he soon began his Group-race-gathering spree (including taking the German Derby) at further.

Looks to have a terrific chance.

18:00 - Circus Of Rome @ 4/6

Cards on the table - for me, this one should have won when I tipped it up at Lingers last week, so a retrieval mission is at hand, hopefully!

Circus Of Rome ran in a little 10-runner maiden, and finished with purpose to be beaten a short-head; by another Johnston inmate as it happens. Richard Hughes' two-year-old colt took a little organising in the straight and it all happened a wee bit too late - by almost the narrowest of margins.

He'll know more now on career start number three, jockey Finley Marsh will doubtless want to banish the near-miss from his thoughts, and for me he's virtually a winner without a penalty in this.

It was yawning daylight back to the third at Lingfield (11l), and this one rates my best bet on the card.

20:00 - Hiatus @ 15/8

A four-year-old Camacho gelding now, in the care of Conrad Allen at Newmarket. Talented claimer Conor Planas reduces the burden by a handy 3lb.

Hiatus won one of these here at Chelmsford a week ago rather cosily in a slightly lower grade, and his sights are raised now as he looks to defy a 5lb penalty.

If we take Conor's claim literally and credit him with the necessary expertise in the saddle that's only 2lb in reality, and the manner of that last success strongly suggests to me at least that this new challenge is eminently achievable.

20:30 - Etretat @ 6/1

Another Johnston raider now from their Middleham Moor base; an experienced, tough and consistent three-year-old who's won here before.

Etretat has had a very busy 2024 and this will be run number 20 since February. He won off 65 in October under today's claimer 5lb claimer Archie Young, and stretches out to 10f today from that mile success. We know from previous evidence that he gets it perfectly well.

He's by Wootton Bassett who never went beyond 8f, but Etretat has no such issues and additionally seems to take to any surface well, be it turf or the various all-weather tracks. Must be such a fun horse to campaign, and it would be nice to see him get his head in front once again on Thursday evening.

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 £112 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.