Free racing tips: Best bets for all today's meetings

Racing betting tips: Wednesday, December 16

1pt win Spiders Bite in 1.10 Newbury at 28/1 (minimum 20/1)

1pt win Like The Sound in 2.30 Ludlow at 22/1 (minimum 20/1)

0.5pts e.w Elusif in 7.05 Kempton at 16/1 (4 places, minimum 14/1)

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Might Bite: 1.10 Newbury

Spiders Bite looked a horse with a decent chasing future ahead of him when with Henry Daly, finishing a good second in a quality Ascot handicap on his chase debut and then looking all set to take a hand in the finish at Ludlow on his next start before getting rid of Andrew Tinkler in the latter stages, but he went backwards in two subsequent starts and has been sold off as part of the Trevor Hemmings dispersal sale in September. Before leaving the Daly yard, he had wind surgery back in January, which might give a clue as to what the issue was last season, and as such has been given plenty of time to recover from that procedure before joining his new yard, that of Neil Mulholland. Neil can ready them first time up, and Spiders Bite (in a first time tongue-tie) still has plenty of time to get his chasing career back on track. The trip suits, he’s nicely handicapped at present, and makes appeal as an all-or-nothing win bet here.

Ah, Listen - 2.30 Ludlow

Bets were hard to find today, and indeed Rory spent much of the call listening to me warble on whilst watching back some old King Georges (“Gwan Santa, you good thing” - Kicking King’s KG) but one we both agreed was of some interest at the prices is Like The Sound. He’s another that’s had a change of scenery, having joined Oliver Signy’s yard from Charlie Mann’s, and it’s a positive that one of Oliver’s three winners this season came first time up when moving from another yard. Three miles would be a minimum for Like The Sound but the rain is due at Ludlow in the morning and it could ride pretty testing, which will be another plus point. The handicapper hasn’t been especially kind, despite four of his last five runs being well below par, and he’s still 3lb higher than his last win, but we can see him going from the front and making this a proper test of stamina, and he ought to get loose in front if that’s the plan. That’s going to find a few that are doubtful stayers out, and if he is revitalized by the change of scenery, he could go well.

I’d Rather Jack Than Fleetwood Mac - 6.35 Kempton

At Kempton, I thought Tipperary Jack was very interesting having dropped below his last winning mark, and he has been better than the result on his last couple of runs over C&D. Ten weeks ago he was ridden very aggressively by Silvestre de Sousa, and weakened late having been clear to finish a creditable fifth of 14 runners. He got a bit too lit up and failed to stay a mile here next time, and then met interference late on when beaten a length into third back over track and trip. He’s run to form twice at Lingfield since, but can do better here, where he is a dual C&D winner, and he’s been dropped 4lb for his last few outings.That looks pretty generous as he simply needs a race to fall right for him to take advantage, and this could be the one, with the booking of James Doyle adding to confidence that he can end his luckless run.

Hard To Find? 7.05 Kempton

Another course winner who has become well handicapped is Conrad Allen’s Elusif, and the five-year-old is taken to bounce back having had excuses for his last two starts. Elusif is very much a streak performer, landing hat-tricks in 2019 and 2020, with three of those six wins coming over this C&D. He has moved yards several times in recent months, starting with Shaun Keightley and then spending time with Phil McEntee and Richard Guest before moving to Allen two starts back. He went without his usual visor on his return from an absence at Lingfield on his penultimate start, and was then badly drawn and forced to race wider than ideal when below form there last time.The bare form of his last couple of runs suggests he’s in the doldrums, but it’s not hard to find excuses, and his proven record of winning when dropped to a workable mark means he’s one to be fairly positive about at this level, and he’s back to the mark off which he won a C&D handicap in March last year, and just 2lb higher than when scoring the second of his two wins this term, that run coming at Wolverhampton. A draw is stall three looks ideal, and his odds of 16/1 (William Hill are paying four places at those odds) are very generous.

Posted at 1750 GMT on 15/12/20