Bank Holiday Mondays Horseracing Tips, 28 December

By Carl Harris

Well Christmas and Boxing Day is over and now we count down to 2010. Monday is a bank holiday with the big race of the day being the Coral Welsh National, at Chepstow. I reckon I have found the winner of this race!

Here are my best bets for Monday;

12:25 Chepstow, Earth Planet- Win. We won’t get rich backing Earth Planet but with Ruby Walsh engaged in Ireland Paul Nicholls turns to Champion Jockey Tony McCoy for a handful of rides at Chepstow. They should score a relatively simple victory with a very good hurdler who now goes over fences. Earth Planet could make in to a nice chaser and I would suggest that he is a good thing, if he jumps a clear round.

14:10 Chepstow, The Tother One- Win. The Tother One was impressive at Cheltenham when second to the package. This will be a stamina test, assuming the meeting gets the green light, which will suit this horse down to the ground. It is always interesting to hear what people close to the horse have to say and Ruby Walsh told the press;

“He’s lazy and takes a bit of rousting along but the trip in the Welsh National will really suit him. He’s a relatively inexperienced horse, Cheltenham was only his fourth run over fences and he will improve for that. Going left-handed around Chepstow will suit him again, he likes soft ground and he’ll stay, which you have to over 3m5f there, so he has every chance.”

I personally think he is well handicapped and ticks all the right boxes for me. On a horse that needs some encouraging then there is no better man than Tony McCoy, a more than able deputy for Ruby Walsh who will be hoping to win the Lexus Chase in Ireland.

Coral Welsh National –2.10pm Chepstow: 5-1 Le Beau Bai, 11-2 The Tother One, 10-1 Halcon Genelardais, Silver By Nature, 11-1 Flintoff, 12-1 Operation Houdini, 14-1 Gone To Lunch, Old Benny, 15-1 Coe, 16-1 Kornati Kid, Nozic, 22-1 Hello Bud, 25-1 Ballyfitz, Dream Alliance, 33-1 Iris De Balme, Mike de Beauchene, Mon Mome, 40-1 Kilbeggan Blade, 50-1 Cornish Sett, 66-1 Zacharova (EW ¼ 1,2,3,4)

14:35 Leopardstown, What A Friend- Win and place. Ruby Walsh has opted for Cooldine who is a good horse, but Willie Mullins said publicly on Sunday that he may need the race. What A Friend ran, in my view an exceptional race in the Hennessey to finish second to Denman. Paul Nicholls turns to Barry Geraghty and I think we will get some value in both the win and place markets. Cooldine is the better horse, but if he is not fully wound up then there may be value in taking a bigger price about one for a win and place bet. I think What A Friend is the one.
Lexus Chase – 2.35pm Leopardstown: 7-2 Joncol, Notre Pere, 6-1 Cooldine, What a Friend, 13-2 Voy Por Ustedes, 16-1 Cloudy Lane, Money Trix, Schindler’s Hunt, 18-1 In Compliance, 20-1 Aran Concerto, 40-1 J’y Vole, 66-1 Cane Brake (EW 1/5 1,2,3)

Good luck.