Lucky 15 Tips: Balding raider can be star turn at Newcastle, Wednesday

During the current grim cold snap we're keeping our fingers crossed that at the very least the all-weather meetings survive, but occasionally even they are vulnerable if the area around the racecourse for example, to enter and exit, traffic/safety etc, is badly affected.

Let's pop up to Newcastle's Gosforth Park circuit for Wednesday's Lucky 15 tips and hope that no such problems are in evidence. Their seven-race card kicks in at 13:03 and the Gosdens send a solitary runner, a lightly-raced Frankel gelding no less (Fireblade, 14:03), to add to our entertainment.

Horse Racing Odds

Today's Horse Races

13:03 - Star Chorus @ 9/2

At time of writing Andrew Balding has had three winners from his last 19 runners and while that's not prolific form it shows the stable to be in some sort of order and the winners' enclosure is being visited with a respectable level of frequency.

His Star Chorus makes the journey up from Hampshire; a three-year-old sprinting colt by Mehmas. Only four career starts so far, the last of which was at Wolves just four days ago, and he makes his handicap debut this afternoon off a mark of 73.

His third run was his best, interestingly at this very track, when finishing placed, close-up in a decent-looking novice. He's only been claimer-ridden thus far but gets Richard Fahey's top man, Oisin Orr, on top today. I like his chances.

13:33 - Humble Spark @ 8/11

Another mighty and in-form jockey of predominantly the north, Paul Mulrennan, rides this five-year-old Acclamation gelding, as he often does, for ace trainer Jim Goldie.

Humble Spark came back to something like his very best 11 days ago here, over a couple of furlongs less, when taking one in this grade narrowly. It was his third run after returning from a 54-day break, and visiting the track so swiftly once again is a big positive in my eyes as to the form his shrewd handler perhaps believes him to be in.

He's up just 2lb from the last day and in such a small field, now he's in the groove, should be able to pick them off close home.

14:33 - Al Farabi @ 7/2

A Newmarket-trained horse now, in the care of Stuart Williams, who has two decent chances on the card.

Jockey Cliff Lee (26% strike-rate in the last 14 days) is on both, and in the case of Al Farabi he's riding an experienced five-year-old Kingman gelding who's run well here before at this level.

The selection has slipped to a tempting-looking mark of 81, a career-low, and this ex-Andre Fabre and Roger Varian-trained campaigner can strike in what will be just his third spin for new connections since shipping in during the summer.

At least he didn't have far to travel - it's just over two miles from Roger's yard to Stuart's. Went well at Southwell in a higher grade 19 days ago, and could be a lovely bit of value at current prices.

16:03 - Rebecca's Girl @ 9/2

The lucky last, and a five-year-old Sioux Nation mare that performs admirably up here in Geordieland.

She's been in a rich vein of form pre-Xmas, with four cracking efforts since November 22 that have included a win and two places. Her fifth in the other contest was a less than 2l reverse, so she's purring - and all of those runs have been at this track, three at today's 7f trip, and one at a mile.

The handicapper has had his/her say of course after the win, achieved off a rating of 54. Of arguably more significance are subsequent narrow defeats off revised marks of 59 and 60, because trainer Gary Rutherford now reaches out to hot claimer Archie Young (33% strike-rate in the last fortnight) to reduce her weight by a potentially crucial 5lb.

Her mark then of 60 again today becomes a lot more manageable now courtesy of Archie's booking, and can get Rebecca's Girl back in the winners' circle; further rewarding this little purple patch of late 2024, and what I hope will be early 2025!

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 £290 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.