Lucky 15 Tips: Looking Splendid can defy a 9lb rise at Kelso

We are being treated to five meetings across Britain and Ireland on Monday, with a mix of Flat and National Hunt on offer. Kelso is offering up a seven-race National Hunt card and conditions will be unusually quick for the time of year, as Redcar’s going is officially described as good to firm, good in places. 

Lingfield and Newcastle provide the all-weather action and they also race at Tramore in Ireland. Our expert has picked out four strong fancies across the day who all have big chances and can be combined into a multiple for a Lucky 15 bet.  Chief amongst them is a Gary Rutherford runner at Kelso who has been in excellent form this season.

15:00 Kelso – Looking Splendid @ 3/1

LOOKING SPLENDID has really turned a corner this season with all three of his career victories coming during the current campaign. The first of those came here over hurdles in October and he managed to follow up off a 5lb higher mark at Carlisle after that.

Connections decided to make the switch to fences over course and distance on his most recent start and the eight-year-old obliged in very good style. Much too good for his rivals on that occasion, he kicked clear to score by 11 lengths and a 9lb rise might not be enough.

15:30 Kelso – Wolfburg @ 11/8

WOLFBURG could only win once over hurdles but his record over fences is much more encouraging. He was an impressive winner at Wetherby on Boxing Day and held his form well to place on his next couple of starts.

Returning to winning ways at Carlisle on his most recent start, some inconsistent jumping proved to be no obstacle to victory and he kept on well to score by nine lengths. This is going to be a stiffer task, having been raised 11lb, but there could be more to come.

16:20 Redcar – Bay Of Myths @ 5/2

BAY OF MYTHS was well backed on debut at Chelmsford last month and his supporters were fully vindicated. The son of New Bay was an impressive winner on the day, producing a very smart display to score by just shy of three lengths, despite being keen early on.

Richard Newland and Jamie Insole’s three-year-old showed signs of greenness too, which indicates that there is room for improvement. Whether or not the form is worth much is up for debate but he did it in good style and improvement seems likely on just his second start.

16:50 Redcar – Nicator @ 5/2 

Kevin Philippart De Foy has four winners from just 10 runners at Redcar in the last five years and handicap debutant NICATOR can become the fifth.

The four-year-old has only had three starts so far and he has shown signs of improvement with each.

Struggling on debut at Doncaster in June, it was a much better display when second behind an impressive winner at Southwell on his next start. Second again over the same course and distance next time, he was less than a length behind the winner on that occasion.

Handicaps can facilitate further improvement and his profile suggests he’s likely to improve again anyway. An opening mark of 75 looks reasonable and the best is yet to come.

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