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

Racing betting tips: Tuesday December 22

1pt win Pemberley in 1.05 Huntingdon at 11/2 - (minimum 5/1)

1pt e.w. Malachys Girl in 1.35 Huntingdon at 33/1 (1/5 1,2,3,4) - (minimum 0.5pts e.w. 16/1)

Pem Pal - 1.05 Huntingdon

Emma Lavelle’s yard has found form, with three of her last four winning, and Pemberley might be able to add to that tally here. It is a competitive race, that is worth saying, but Pemberley has always looked the type to do better over fences, and he made a perfectly satisfactory first effort over them at Fontwell, finishing third and unsurprisingly getting a little tired late on after a near nine-month absence.

He came on plenty for his first start of last year, winning three weeks later, so it is to be hoped that he will benefit from that run. Trip, track and ground are all fine, and he can take a step forward today.

You Go, Girl - 1.35 Huntingdon

The Fitzdares Thanks Lily O'Shea This Christmas Handicap Hurdle can go to Malachys Girl. The daughter of Darsi showed she was well suited by testing ground when landing a four-year-old mares’ maiden point at Borris House in December 2017, and she has shown more than enough under rules to be given a big chance on her debut for Jeremy Scott.

She ran well in a bumper at Cheltenham before being switched to hurdles by previous handler Ben Pauling, and her first two runs over timber revealed plenty of ability. She again ran respectably when reappearing at Taunton last season after almost a year on the sidelines, and that form worked out well, with the fourth winning next time out, and several of those who finished behind her running well subsequently.

Her stable was out of form when she was a well-backed 11/2 shot on her handicap debut at Wincanton, and she ran a stinker, which is not hard to explain away in the circumstances.

Malachys Girl remains in the same ownership but has been transferred to the stable of Jeremy Scott, whose horses are all running well at present, as shown by Dashel Drasher’s win at Ascot at the weekend. She has been with her new yard since September, which should ensure she’s settled in and fully fit for this first appearance, and she remains on a very interesting mark given her form in points and bumpers, while we get a decent price given her poor run when fancied last season.

TRIIIIO! - 2.05 Huntingdon

This looks open and there’s more than one that catches the eye. Muse Of Fire looked very much like winning at Ludlow until that first fence in the straight caught him out, as it has so many (it’s a fence I’d be happy to see the back of, to be honest) and he fell when clear and still bowling along. He’s on the same mark here, conditions are fine, and the yard had a welcome winner at Uttoxeter last week, so has to be on anyone’s shortlist.

There are alternatives, mind. Rob The Getaway was making a name for himself among the point-to-point fraternity a couple of seasons ago and after a couple of moderate efforts for his new yard, very much caught the eye against some 130+ rated rivals at Ludlow, not given a hard time once his chance had gone. He could be nicely handicapped off the back of that, and indeed his point form.

We were with Watar Allstar at Leicester last time, as he’d dropped some way in the handicap quite quickly, and Leicester always looked likely to suit him more than Stratford, where he turned in a good effort the time before. Sadly we didn’t get a run for our money, with a broken stirrup pin meaning Will Featherstone had to pull him up early. This track will suit and he remains capable of better.

A Bit of Torrent - 3.05 Huntingdon

Over the years, Rory has invested enough in Torrent Des Mottes to have bought him three times over, and still have a few quid left over for the turkey. He copped the each-way money when he was well backed at Leicester last time, but has chances of going a couple better at a track he clearly likes, having won over C&D in March.

A 3lb rise for finishing third in a Class 5 event looks a bit snide, to our eyes, but perhaps the handicapper was just correcting himself, having thought the horse may simply be on the downgrade after two previously moderate runs. Either way, it’s a mark he can work from, and this looks a pretty winnable contest. You’d want double figures again, but there’s every chance we’ll get that in the morning.

Leather ‘Em, Lace - 11.45 Lingfield

A race we were rather keen to have an interest in, as favourite It Must Be Faith has more to do under a penalty, and this tighter track might not play to his strengths, but finding a bet was tricky.

The Lacemaker is on a winning mark and has winning form at the track, but hasn’t been at her best for some time now, although she wasn’t disgraced on her latest start here. She has a draw to go forward from, but given she went off a 40-1 chance last time, and this is really no easier, you’d be wanting a similar price before you got involved. Worth chucking a couple of quid at if she’s 33s and bigger come the off.

On behalf of Rory and myself we would like to wish all readers of the column a very Merry Christmas. See you all on Boxing Day, which as any fool knows, is when our Christmas really begins...

Posted at 1800 GMT on 21/12/2020

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