Lucky 15 Tips: Top Guy can win again at Plumpton

There are four meetings across Britain to sink our teeth into on Monday, although there is no Irish action. Last week’s Aintree Festival provided a wealth of top-class racing but today's fare should still be thoroughly entertaining. There’s a good mix on offer, with National Hunt meetings from Hexham and Fakenham and there’s an intriguing handicap chase over just shy of two miles on the former’s eight-race card. Flat racing returns to Leicester and they also go on the all-weather at Newcastle.

That means there will be plenty of opportunities to find a winner so I have selected four strong fancies across the day to consider putting into a Lucky 15. Below are my Lucky 15 Tips for Monday, April 13.

15:08 Stratford – Granny Hawkins @ 7/2

The penny didn’t drop straight away for Alan King’s GRANNY HAWKINS but she turned a corner when getting off the mark in a weak handicap at Hereford in November. That being said, she got the job done with plenty in hand and a 6lb rise made no difference to her.

She obliged with an even more impressive performance over the same course and distance after that and connections clearly wanted to wait for the better ground to return, as that success came after a lengthy break. King’s mare is worth keeping on side at this stage of the season.

15:27 Plumpton – Top Guy @ 15/2

It has been a record-breaking season for Dan Skelton, who has passed the £4,000,000 prize money mark and will be crowned champion trainer at Sandown later this month. TOP GUY returned to winning ways over an extended 3m2f at Newton Abbot last time out.

Tristan Durrell was also on board that day and he saw out the trip well to score by a little over four lengths. The handicapper hasn’t been very generous, hitting him with a 10lb rise for that success, but the 3m1f trip will suit and it would be unwise to rule out further progress.

15:35 Curragh – Beset @ 6/1

Joseph O’Brien has thrown four darts at this race and the five-year-old mare BESET makes the most appeal. She made short work of the field when cutting through the mud to win a Listed contest over 1m4f at the Curragh by seven lengths in November.

Impressive again on her seasonal reappearance, she showed a smart turn of foot to win by three lengths at Naas last month. Obviously more will be needed in this slightly higher grade but she is entitled to step forward and has a fitness advantage over many of her rivals here.

17:12 Plumpton – Alien Storm @ 7/2

Charlie Longsdon’s ALIEN STORM is rated at least 4lb higher than the rest of the field but jockey Daire McConville takes 7lb off and that could make a big difference. Connections will be hoping to take advantage of the fact that he’s rated 6lb lower over hurdles.

He won back-to-back starts over fences in October and November, with the first of those coming at Plumpton. Last successful off a 3lb higher mark in November, if he can translate that form to hurdles, the eight-year-old will be more than capable of winning again.

If all four selections won, at the quoted prices, a 50p Lucky 15 (total stake £7.50) would return around £164.50.

Click the link for the latest Horse Racing Odds