Best bets for the day from Steve Ryder and Oddschecker+ Premium tipsters, as well as key races to follow.
15:37 Fairyhouse
Today’s Best Bets from Steve Ryder
A repeat of either piece of form that KARNIQUET (best priced at 10/11) has shown behind Kopek Des Bordes this season should see him land this Grade 2 prize. The Willie Mullins trained five-year-old finished 2nd in the Grade 1 Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival before finishing 4th in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last time.
The form of that race already looks extremely strong with the Salvator Mundi (5th), Romeo Coolio (3rd) and Karbau (10th) finishing 1-2-3 in the Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree earlier this week. He is the choice of Paul Townend over his stablemates with differing form lines and he should prove hard to beat.
16:55 Southwell
The Richard Hannon trained ARAMRAM (best priced at 7/2) sneaks into this Class 2 handicap at the bottom of the weights and he should prove hard to beat with Sean Levey back on board. The four-year-old has only been ridden by Sean Levey once in his career when 2nd at Ayr in the Silver Cup and his AW form makes him extremely interesting in this. He won at Wolverhampton in October on his AW debut off a mark of 87 and was given too much to do by Alex Voikhasnky at Kempton last time when 2nd by a head off a mark of 89.
The handicapper has raised Aramram 2lbs for that defeat up to a mark of 91 but he should be suited by this long straight at Southwell and can beat some of his more experienced rivals with the benefit of race fitness.
17:22 Fairyhouse
The form of the Grade 2 Mares Bumper at the Dublin Racing Festival was highlighted by Bambino Fever winning the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival against the geldings and the 2-3-4-5 all reoppose in this race. Preference goes to AMEN KATE (best priced at 11/2) who was the least experienced of the quartet when she finished 4th in that race.
The Tom Cooper trained five-year-old was an impressive 7 ½ length winner on her debut at Listowel in September and connections then decided to have a 128 day break before the Dublin Racing Festival. Fairyhouse should suit Amen Kate well and she looks sure to be involved in the finish.
