Sunday Racing Tips: Gentleman can return to winning ways at Thurles

It’s Jump racing all the way on Sunday as all three meetings taking place across Britain and Ireland are National Hunt cards. Windsor kicks us off with a very valuable seven-race offering, whilst the action from Fakenham and Thurles follows swiftly after.
We have three strong fancies to keep an eye on at Thurles for our Sunday Racing Tips and amongst them is a very smart hunter chaser for Gordon Elliott, who should be coming out on top in the finale.
Horse Racing Tips - Sunday, January 18
- 12:40 Thurles - Forty Coats @ 4/6
- 15:20 Thurles - Gentleman De Mee @ 9/2
- 15:55 Thurles - Willitgoahead @ 5/2
*odds correct at time of publication
12:40 Thurles - Forty Coats @ 4/6
It’s a bit of a surprise that the Henry de Bromhead-trained FORTY COATS remains a maiden over hurdles but that shouldn’t be the case for too much longer. He brings a very strong level of form to the table and this doesn’t look like the strongest of maiden hurdles.
The son of Diamond Boy won a point-to-point before joining De Bromhead and made the perfect start to his career under rules, winning a bumper at Naas by four lengths. Forty Coats then went on to finish second in three consecutive starts over hurdles.
It was a bold move to throw him into the deep end at the Cheltenham Festival last year but it kind of paid off, as he ran a cracker to finish fourth in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle. That’s easily the best form on offer in this race and this is an excellent opportunity for him to shed his maiden tag.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
15:20 Thurles - Gentleman De Mee @ 9/2
It’s difficult to see Willie Mullins not winning this race, especially as he trains four of the five runners, and there doesn’t appear to be much between them. Appreciate It won this race last year but the JP McManus-owned GENTLEMAN DE MEE can come out on top this time.
Gentleman De Mee finished second in the Champion Chase a couple of years ago and his victory in the Topham Chase at Aintree in April suggests he retains a similar level of ability. Winning that day off a mark of 155, he came out on top despite some inconsistent jumping.
Mullins’ 10-year-old hasn’t quite been at his best in two starts this season but the yielding ground should be much more to his liking. Whilst it’s possible that he’s more of a spring horse, he’s worth siding with at the prices.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
15:55 Thurles - Willitgoahead @ 5/2
Gordon Elliott’s WILLITGOAHEAD is up there with the best of them in the hunter chase division and he was a comfortable winner of this race last year for his previous trainer. That form alone is enough to make him a candidate but he brings more to the table, too.
Third in the Festival Challenge Cup at Cheltenham in March, he stayed on well that day and the form is rock-solid. Second behind It’s On The Line at Down Royal on his first start of the season, he’s entitled to improve but probably won’t need to in order to win this.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
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