Free horse racing betting preview and tips for Friday December 27
Keith Hamer takes Now McGinty to win the Coral Welsh National and has a tip for every race at every meeting in the UK and Ireland.
NAP: Now McGinty 2.50 Chepstow
Next best: Cerberus 1.35 Chepstow
Now McGinty looks the ideal type for the gruelling stamina test that is the Coral Welsh Grand National at Chepstow.
Stuart Edmunds' eight-year-old ticks enough boxes to suggest he has strong claims for the three-mile-five-furlong handicap chase.
He has plenty of experience, without being over-raced or exposed; he has solid form, handles soft and heavy ground and stays well.
Now McGinty has a course success over nearly three miles under his belt too, and that alone gives him a big chance.
That came at the main expense of subsequent Ladbrokes Trophy hero De Rasher Counter in January, when he got home by six lengths.
The rest of his form bares close inspection, most notably his latest start that came on his seasonal debut after an eight-month break.
Now McGinty gave Santini a scare at Sandown, going down by only a head after making most of the running in a four-horse affair.
That race was seven weeks ago and will have put him spot on for this marathon contest.
Cerberus is a notable raider on the same card for Joseph O'Brien in the Coral Finale Juvenile Hurdle.
The three-year-old failed to win on the Flat for O'Brien - but switching to obstacles has clearly suited, because he has won two of his three starts to date.
Cerberus most recently struck gold in a Grade Three affair at Fairyhouse at the start of the month, seeing off his stablemate and fellow joint-favourite A Wave Of The Sea with a sharp display of jumping.
That front-running victory should stand him in excellent stead for this rise to Grade One level.
Altior's absence puts Sceau Royal in the driving seat for the Ladbrokes Desert Orchid Chase at Kempton.
Alan King's charge did not really sparkle on his seasonal return in the Tingle Creek, but he perhaps just needed the run as it was his first start since chasing home Altior back in April.
Duc Des Genievres has a slight advantage strictly on the weights, but he has yet to fire this term and preference is for Sceau Royal.
Global Citizen was disappointing on his fencing bow, but redemption could be within his reach in the Ladbrokes Wayward Lad Novices' Chase.
A Grade Two winner over hurdles, he was well beaten on the first attempt in what was a pretty warm Carlisle event.
However, Ben Pauling's runners were struggling terribly for form at that point - and with the yard's runners starting to find their groove again now, Global Citizen should not be discounted.
At Wetherby, Hawk High can take the 888Sport Castleford Handicap Chase.
Returning from nearly a year off the track at the Yorkshire venue last month, Hawk High ran a cracker to finish second behind a race-fit rival, seemingly retaining plenty of the ability that saw him win at the 2014 Cheltenham Festival.
Tim Easterby has to tread carefully with what appears to be a fragile inmate, but Hawk High looks made for a race like this.
Stay Classy is on the upgrade, and she can strike again in the Ladbrokes Home Of The Odds Boost EBF Fillies' Handicap at Wolverhampton.
Chacun Pour Soi should get his winter campaign off to a winning start in the Grade One Paddy's Rewards Club Chase at Leopardstown.
The seven-year-old already has a victory at the top level to his credit from only two starts since moving to Willie Mullins' stable from Emmanuel Clayeux in France.
That came in early May when he got the better of the top-class Defi Du Seuil by four and a quarter lengths in the Ryanair Novice Chase at Punchestown.
Chacun Pour Soi is now up against the big boys but ought to pass this test with honours.
City Island can make a winning start to his career over fences in the Paddy Power Live Stream Beginners' Chase.
The six-year-old, trained by Martin Brassil, took the scalp of Champ when landing the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Brassil has given City Island a couple of racecourse schooling sessions before his first public performance, and is pleased with how the six-year-old has taken to the bigger obstacles.
Abacadabras lost absolutely nothing in defeat when succumbing to his Gordon Elliott-trained stablemate Envoi Allen at Fairyhouse, and can pick up his own Grade One in the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle.
Things did not go his way in the Royal Bond, yet he was only a length and a half behind the highly-regarded winner.
Having earlier beaten subsequent Grade Two scorer Latest Exhibition at Navan, Abacadabras has a fine chance to regain winning ways.
Sporting Life tips:
CHEPSTOW: 12.30 Global Fame, 1.05 Whatswrongwithyou, 1.35 Cerberus, 2.10 Acey Milan, 2.50 NOW MCGINTY (NAP), 3.25 Clondaw Anchor, 3.55 Jeremy Pass.
KEMPTON: 12.45 Homer, 1.20 Global Citizen, 1.55 Oscar Rose, 2.30 Sceau Royal, 3.05 Quarenta, 3.35 Brandon Castle.
LIMERICK: 12.15 Ciel De Niege, 12.50 Oscar Lantern, 1.25 Presenting Europe, 2.00 Fury Road, 2.35 Colreevy, 3.10 Still Alive, 3.45 Getabay.
LEOPARDSTOWN: 12.05 Insane Bolt, 12.35 City Island, 1.10 Chacun Pour Soi, 1.45 Abacadabras, 2.20 Tiger Voice, 2.55 Quamino, 3.30 Appreciate It.
WETHERBY: 12.25 Neville's Cross, 1.00 Tarada, 1.30 Hasankey, 2.05 Hawk High, 2.40 Sheneededtherun, 3.15 Border Victor.
WOLVERHAMPTON: 1.50 The Lacemaker, 2.25 Dress Circle, 3.00 Cottonopolis, 3.40 Stay Classy, 4.10 Calvinist, 4.40 Seraphim, 5.10 Motawaafeq.
DOUBLE: Now McGinty and Cerberus.
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