Best bets for the horse racing Wednesday 29th December

It’s another busy day of horse racing with plenty to get your teeth into if you wish. Newbury is the main meeting here in the UK whilst they have another big day at Leopardstown. It’s a slightly weird day for me in that despite all the decent stuff over the jumps here in the UK I am having just two bets, one in Ireland and one on the All-Weather this evening.  

Best bet for the horse racing at Leopardstown

Sharjah goes in the Grade One two-mile Matheson Hurdle over in Ireland but will be odds-on and I won’t back him at the price. Perhaps unlucky to be around in an era with so many decent mare hurdlers,  runner-up in the last two Champion Hurdles to mares getting the 7lb, he has won this race the last three years in a row; I am surprised he isn't shorter truth be told. The reason I can't back him is despite his C&D record he does have off days and aint one to overly trust. Earlier in the card Run Wild Fred interests me in the 1.45 the Grade One three-mile Neville Hotels Novice Chase off the back of his win in the Troytown Handicap Chase last time. He has plenty of experience for one still Novice Chasing and a reproduction of that run at Navan would surely be good enough here. At 5-2 I am on.  

Best bet for the horse racing at Southwell

There is one from the notebook up at Southwell this evening that is worth an investment. Melodic Charm ran at Wolverhampton a couple of weeks back having been off the track for over a year and was a respectable third. My notes about the chestnut filly reading ‘3rd looked fair and blew away cobwebs after over a year off. If not hammered by the handicapper (was off 86) interesting next time out’. She is off 86 again for the 6f betyourway At Betway Handicap at 7.00 and should be backed at the 7-2 this morning. She should get a lead to follow and can pick these off up the straight, the booking of Danny Tudhope is also seen as a positive.

Be lucky