Horse Racing tips: Frank Hickey’s 4 best bets for Monday’s action

A couple of these coming in would be a nice start to xmas week.

Musselburgh 13.15 – Eagle Ridge

The booking of Brian Hughes catches the eye, as Eagle Ridge has only been running ok since returning this season but on his last start of last season, he won over this course and distance off a mark of 87. The handicapper has dropped him and he now finds himself back on that mark again and the return to this track might see him bounce back to form.

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Musselburgh 14.45 – Overcourt

Overcourt was two from two in handicaps over hurdles last season, winning both starts off marks of 110 & 115, including at Musselburgh. He made his chase debut at Sedgefield in October in a beginners chase where he finished second, splitting rivals rated 132 and 135. The fourth place won two starts later and is now rated 132, so Overcourt would look extremely well treated off a mark of 120 returned to a handicap. The Sandy Thomson stable remain among the winners and it will be disappointing if Overcourt can’t take advantage of that mark here.

Musselburgh 15.15 – Largy Gift

Those with experience don’t set a very high bar here for this bumper and it might be worth siding with the  Stuart Crawford trained Largy Gift. Bred to maybe make more of a mark when sent jumping over a trip, Largy Gift comes from a yard that have had 3 bumper winners in the past two weeks and is actually 4 from 7 with their bumpers runners in the UK this season. It would be no surprise were Largy Gift to enhance that strike rate.

Newcastle 14.25 – Duty Of Care

Duty Of Care will face a big test here in the form of Captain Cooper and will need to improve plenty here to get his head in front but I think there is every chance of that happening. On debut at Kempton, Richard Kingscote never looked really happy on Duty Of Care and he looked tapped for toe when the pace lifted but he did run on well when the race was over to grab third. He gave the impression that he would improve plenty for the experience and the fact that he is a Kingman half-brother to Expert Eye, he should be capable of reaching a decent level.

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