Racing tips: The sweet travelling Dalyotin will relish the drop back in trip on Boxing Day

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It's probably the biggest day of racing for the year, so let's find some winners between us all. As always, share your selections in the chat.

Hopefully, you've all had a lovely Christmas and aren't feeling too worse for wear today. There's some mega racing on today so get yourself a brew (for those with a sore head) or a pint and get your feet up on the sofa and enjoy!

Kempton 2:30

Before the odds were released I was all over Bravemansgame for the King George. I was impressed with his return 58 days ago, and that cemented what a top-class jump horse he is. He is everything you'd like in a King George horse, he jumps well, has good speed and handles the track, but at the odds, I'd be happy enough to go against him, though it might come back to bite me.

It might seem ludicrous to go for AHOY SENOR as he seems to have fallen off a cliff, but I think he is worth a chance at his current odds of 20/1, which seem a little insulting considering he is a Grade 1 winner over hurdles and fences.

People seem to think he should go back over hurdles, and that might be a possibility if he underperforms again today, as he is undoubtedly a horse who will run extremely well in the Stayers' hurdle at Cheltenham, but I still believe he has a career over fences. His jumping hasn't been great this year like we saw on his latest start at Aintree where he blundered the first two quite badly and that left him with little to no chance of winning. So for him to cruise into the race and look like the winner, before the last fence where Noble Yeats seemed to find a rocket up it's backside, makes it a decent effort in my eyes. I think returning to a right-handed track is going to suit. We've all seen him jump out to his right on many occasions on left-handed tracks, and though it doesn't lose him much ground around the LH tracks, it's clearly an inconvenience for him. On his day he is a top-class horse, there's no denying it, and I think if Derek Fox is positive on him and gets him in a good rhythm in front (probably be taken on by Frodon) then he could run a big race.

The pace battle might put people off as Frodon only seems to know one way of winning and that's from the front, but I believe it wouldn't hinder Ahoy Senor's race. He has the bigger engine of the two and will outlast Frodon, as long as his jumping holds up. I can see why people are going for those towards the head of the market, I totally understand it, but I'd rather have a chance on the EW runner who could run a big race if returning back to form.

Wetherby 1:35 (FOUR PLACES)

The highlight race of the day at Wetherby is the Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase, which is always a good race, and this year's renewal is no different. You have many classy horses in this, but they have to run off some big weights. I can see why the bottom weight, Into Overdrive is fancied, he was a previous tip of mine when running at Newcastle where he finished as runner-up behind L'Homme Presse. However, I've decided to side with SPORTING JOHN.

I think a lot of people are sleeping on this horse, but on his day he is a classy operator. He was tried over fences a couple of seasons ago, where he won a Grade 1 before falling at the Cheltenham Festival and then pulling up at Aintree. He then went back over hurdles showing some good form off big weights in some tough handicaps and was one of the favourites for the Pertemps Final at the festival but he didn't take his place. His seasonal return wasn't great as he finished well out the back at Wetherby in the Grade 2 won by Proschema. However, he was well backed that day, going off as 7/4F so clearly better things were expected to come from him that day and he didn't quite show it. I think that run has to be ignored and I think it's interesting they've decided to go back over fences, especially for this race which is always a competitive race.

I am convinced he is more than capable of winning off a mark of 151. I think 3m is definitely his trip on a flat track, as he stayed on extremely well when winning the Grade 1 over fences on heavy ground at Sandown. Sandown is a tough track and will find out who has the stamina and who doesn't he climbed the hill with ease that day, so it wasn't a surprise to see them go for the Pertemps at Cheltenham, though he didn't actually make the final.

Richie McLernon picks up a lot of rides on JP McManus horses, but I think he could be the ideal jockey for him. Richie is very good at switching his horses off and getting to deliver them late, I guess he could be the equivalent to the jumps Jamie Spencer. I am a big fan of his and he often goes unnoticed. At the prices I think he could surprise a few and run a good race, definitely having a place chance at the very least.

Wetherby 2:45

A horse that I'm quite sweet on today is DALYOTIN trained by Rebecca Menzies.

Once again, like most races today, this is a competitive renewal and there could be a case made for many of these, especially the horses who are towards the top of the weights. But, Dalyotin seems to be a horse who is still progressing as a chaser and could still have more to give, but most importantly he isn't carrying a ridiculously heavy weight.

I actually think today's drop in trip could suit him and bring out the improvement needed to land this. If you watch some of his previous races, most importantly the last race at Kelso, he is such a strong traveller and looks like a horse who possesses a good amount of speed on a soft surface. He came with his winning run around the field at Kelso, travelling strongly on the bridle before being outstayed. He was carrying 12st that day, so that didn't help him, but to have that cruising speed whilst carrying that weight was impressive.

Brian Hughes isn't riding him today, and to be honest, that's probably a positive. Brian is a dual champion jockey who most people like, but in recent times he's left a bitter taste in my mouth and I'm starting to prefer other riders. Nathan Moscrop is the usual rider for Rebecca and has ridden this horse to a win when landing a class 3 race at Sedgefield where he travelled beautifully again and won by 8L. If they go a good gallop, which I think they will, I think he could creep into this and be delivered very late.

My main concern is that he is a low jumper, it's great when he jumps accurately as he saves so much time in the air, but it could go wrong at any point and Wetherby's fences could catch him out. However, I think he is worth a chance and I am quite sweet about his chances.

Market Rasen 2:50 (FIVE PLACES)

For my last selection of the day, I am siding with LIGHT FLICKER in the Lincolnshire National Handicap Chase.

Ryan Potter's 10yo doesn't really fit the bill for the winner for this race, with the last 10 renewals being won by horses under the age of 10 and 9 of the 10 being won by 8yo's or younger, but I think the kind of form this horse is in he has to be in with winning this.

For most of the horses running in this, you are banking on them returning to form, which isn't always the best tactic, and I think in a race of this nature it's best to go with the form horses and you'd have to say that Light Flicker is one of those horses who are carrying the better pieces of recent form. I thought his last two runs at Wetherby and then Exeter were very good efforts and made it look like a horse who is ready to pounce off his current handicap mark at any given point.

His price has shortened since the market opened so unfortunately, we won't get as nice of a price as previously, but around 8/1 seems fair and a decent EW bet in this for a trainer who continues to impress and is good at placing his horses.

JUST A KIND REMEMBER THAT JUST BECAUSE IT IS BOXING DAY AND THERE IS A RIDICULOUS AMOUNT OF RACING ON, IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO BET ON EVERY RACE. PLAY IT SMART AND KEEP TO YOUR NORMAL BETTING ROUTINES AND SPENDING! GOOD LUCK!

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