Lucky 15 Tips: Invincible? Let’s hope so for Marco x2

There's an eight-race card with our name on it - Thursday's Lingfield Polytrack action, which kicks in at 11:58, and provides our Lucky 15 tips. Two winners on Tuesday, one on Wednesday - so we're knocking nicely on the door right now.

It's January 9 already, stunningly, and I know I shouldn't say so but I saw a headline the other day in a trade paper along the lines of 'nine weeks to Cheltenham.' If that doesn't banish any winter blues, as we slither along pavements and try to find the car under mountains of snow, nothing will. In the meantime - enjoy!

Horse Racing Odds

Today's Horse Races

11:58 - Epsom Faithful @ 11/4

A 10f Class 4 handicap with just five scheduled to start - which can play very nicely in terms of our chances here.

Last time out at this venue 37 days ago Epsom Faithful was rather bottled up in a similar contest up the home straight, only closing when the bird had flown.

The RP race reader noted that the eight-year-old mare 'did well in the circumstances' to eventually finish a close-up second, and in a small field today such difficulties are far less likely to be encountered.

The naughty old assessor has raised her 2lb though - her fine effort was not lost on him/her - but she's won off 75 previously for this pilot (Paddy Bradley, who knows her well), and a mark of 77, in-form, shouldn't be remotely insurmountable.

12:58 - Fools Rush In @ 2/1

Ah, the story of my life! Actually, a vastly experienced and well-travelled seven-year-old Mehmas gelding raiding from Ruth Carr's base at Huby, about 10 miles north of York.

Fools Rush In has won nine races from 61 career starts and seems to thrive on his racing. He's been busy this winter, and won one of these at Southwell just after Xmas, making all off a mark of 66.

He's up just 2lb for that and reappears three days after a close-up third at Wolves, fading close home after sitting prominently and taking it up at the two-pole. Connections look to strike again quickly, which is encouraging, and an Arc-winning jock no less, the equally seasoned Luke Morris, has the riding assignment.

13:58 - Ardennes @ 11/2

A tricky and ultra competitive-looking Class 4 sprint handicap.

Our selection Ardennes is a three-year-old Soldier's Call gelding trained by Mick Appleby and ridden by 3lb claimer Freddie Larson. On December 29 at Southwell at this trip/grade he was reeled in late, but had produced arguably a better effort at Kempton in early December, again placed - and if repeating his 'catch me if you can' style of late, is ideally drawn in the two box to attack.

Mick's only had the horse for those two spins (formerly trained by Ed Walker), and he'll know more about his capabilities and character with every passing day. It's a sooner rather than later job for me, and let's hope it's Thursday.

14:32 - Invincible Aura @ 10/3

Hard to think of a more heroically-named gelding - a four-year-old son of Invincible Army out of a New Approach mare.

Invincible Aura is a tidy handicapper with two wins to his name - a Southwell maiden, and a Kempton handicap off a mark of 70. Today he runs off 76; but last time 80 days ago he ran a very close second at Southwell (same trip/grade/rating of 76) and he's won fresh after enjoying a break before.

The excellent, outstanding duo of trainer Marco Botti and jockey Marco Ghiani combine, and the prospect of career win number three for 'Aura' is very bright in my eyes.

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 £370 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.