Check out our recommended multiple bet for the New Year's Day action from Cheltenham and Musselburgh.
What is a Lucky 15?
We thought it would be a good idea to explain exactly what a Lucky 15 means and how easy it is to place such a bet.
In short, the Lucky 15 is an acca including four elements, although all four bets don’t have to win to produce a profit/return. The selections are combined into one four-fold accumulator, trebles, doubles and individual singles.
So, the Lucky 15 can be summed up as follows: 1 accumulator, 4 trebles, 6 double, 4 singles = 15 bets.
An each-way Lucky 15 is therefore 30 bets, and you will get a return of some kind if only one horse places.
MATATA - 12.55 Cheltenham
A useful novice hurdler last season, MATATA returned from six months on the sidelines with a wide-margin victory on his chasing debut at Chepstow in October, jumping boldly in front and passing the post with 10 lengths to spare over his closest pursuer having gradually drawn clear from three out.
This will be tougher following a 9lb rise in the weights, but the headstrong Matata has long appealed as the type to make a better chaser and he's unlikely to give up his unbeaten record without a fight if taking another step forward from that debut success, with the fine form of the Nigel Twiston-Davies yard (12 winners from 61 runners at a 20% strike-rate in December) an ongoing recommendation.
MATCHLESS - 1.10 Musselburgh
MATCHLESS had a busy campaign on the Flat but has shown no ill effects from that when sent back over hurdles for his last two starts, first winning at this course in November and then producing an even better effort in defeat when tackling this sort of trip for the first time at Doncaster a few weeks ago.
Matchless was beaten just a nose on the last occasion, losing out on the nod as he and another useful sort pulled clear of the remainder. Reasonably consistent in a hurdling career still spanning just eight starts – showing a likeable attitude on his way to three wins and three placings – Matchless should remain competitive from a BHA mark of 124 and is one to be interested in again back at Musselburgh.
STAGE STAR - 2.05 Cheltenham
STAGE STAR already features among the leading ante-post fancies for the Ryanair Chase back at the Cheltenham Festival in March and there’s a good chance he’ll simply outclass this lot despite having to concede at least 12lb to each of his five rivals.
Stage Star developed into a high-class novice chaser last season, notably winning the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Festival, and he took his form up another notch after seven months off when also winning the Paddy Power Gold Cup back here last time.
That was a performance out of the very top drawer to defy a BHA mark of 155, recovering remarkably well after a bad mistake at the last as he went on again to win by four lengths. A repeat of that form will probably be enough for him to follow up in this less competitive environment.
ED KEEPER - 2.40 Cheltenham
The five-year-old ED KEEPER found more improvement to regain the winning thread in a competitive handicap hurdle at Newbury a few weeks ago, proving well suited by the step up to three miles as he powered clear on the run-in to win by five and a half lengths.
That was just his fifth start over hurdles and his second in a handicap, so there must be every chance that Ed Keeper hasn’t reached his ceiling yet. He looks a top prospect for chasing in the longer term, but there should be more races to be won with him in this sphere in the meantime and a 9lb higher mark might not be enough to stop him in his follow-up bid.
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