Horse Racing Tips: Lydia Hislop’s 8 great picks on Boxing Day

* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widget, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

Racing TV’s Lydia Hislop fired up the Zoom app to join Tom, Paddy and Ruby on this week’s From The Horse’s Mouth podcast to take an in-depth look at the festive racing calendar. Lydia and the boys went through the Boxing Day cards with a fine-tooth comb so deliver a raft of tips, best bets and insight.

So, without further ado, here’s Lydia’s tips from both sides of the Irish Sea on Boxing Day.

13:05 at Leopardstown – Zanahiyr

Zanahiyr really does stand out on form. I can see Saint Sam being the main danger for him again here and he stuck with Zanahiyr for a long way the last time they raced.

The negative reaction to that loss has probably been too strong. Zanahiyr is very smart, he’s got good weight all round and he’s the short-priced favourite for a reason.

13:15 at Kempton – Hold The Note

I quite like Hold The Note. He was running really well in this race last year when he got badly hampered and was pretty much brought down by a horse that fell in front of him. He then went on to be third at the Northern Trust at the Cheltenham Festival.

He’s 5lbs lower than that mark and I think he’s been shaping this season as though in form but not really liking 3m, so I think the drop down in trip will help.

13:50 at Kempton – If The Cap Fits

This should be great and I’m looking forward to learning plenty about these horses. I’m interested to see how If The Cap Fits goes with the cheekpieces back on.

His best hurdling form came with the cheekpieces on, winning a Grade 1 and a Grade 2 race, but they haven’t used them so far over fences. I think his price is too big.

14:05 at Wetherby – Springtown Lake

This is a tricky race to call. I’m going to risk one of them, in first-time cheekpieces, and it’s Springtown Lake, but I don’t do it so confidently.

I think he shaped as though he’s got a big race in him and that he’s coming to the stage where he wants this kind of trip now, but it’s not with huge confidence that I put him up.

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Read: Horse Racing tips: Matt Chapman’s 5 fab punts for ITV’s Boxing Day action

14:15 at Leopardstown – Felix Desjy

I really like Felix Desjy. It’s been interesting to see how he has become a lot better over fences.

His form has been franked by Sizing Pottsie, I don’t think the horses that have been beaten by him will be able to turn that around. I think he is ideally suited by this trip and I can’t really see beyond Felix Desjy.

14:25 at Kempton – Epatante

Epatante is the big favourite, but I can’t work up an argument for any of the horses she’s facing. She’s already beaten Silver Streak and Ballyandy and the only new horse is her stable companion Floressa. She could improve quite a bit but I don’t see her beating Epatante.

14:35 at Limerick – Asterion Forlonge

I think this is one of the races of the entire Christmas period, I am so looking forward to this. It’s a great field and I think it’g going to be an extrodinarilly good race and I’m really taken with Asterion Forlonge.

I think he needs to go right handed, I wasn’t impressed that he tried to take out most of the field in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, but given how far right he was going all the way round and the fact that he was still in front despite having absolutely torn along heading in to the final hurdle suggests to me that he has a huge ammount of ability.

He looks really, really exciting and I’ve been taken with Pencilfulloflead as well, I think he looks really dangerous. But I’m sticking with Asterion Forlonge but I’m becoming a big fan of Pencilfulloflead as well.

15:00 at Kempton – Clan Des Obeaux

I don’t think Cyrname will win this race, his best form is at Ascot around 2m4f. This is the place where Clan Des Obeaux has his standout form.

I think Paul Nicholls has got him fitter for the start of the season than he might normally have had him because he’s not thinking about Cheltenham, he’s thinking about the start of the season and maybe the end of the season at Punchestown.

I expect he’s in better shape this year than he might otherwise have been. My preference is for Clan Des Obeaux.

Lydia Hislop’s tips for Boxing Day

13:05 at Leopardstown – Zanahiyr
13:15 at Kempton – Hold The Note
13:50 at Kempton – If The Cap Fits
14:05 at Wetherby – Springtown Lake
14:15 at Leopardstown – Felix Desjy
14:25 at Kempton – Epatante
14:35 at Limerick – Asterion Forlonge
15:00 at Kempton – Clan Des Obeaux

* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widget, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.

More Boxing Day tips

• Paddy’s best backed punts at Leopardstown this weekend
  
• Paddy’s traders reveal their Boxing Day NAPs
  
• Ruby’s Walsh’s 7 best bets at Leopardstown & Limerick on Saturday

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• Horse Racing tips: Through the card at Kempton on Boxing Day with Timeform
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