There's a classy card at Wetherby on Friday
There's a classy card at Wetherby on Friday

Free horse racing selections for Sunday February 17


Queen's Magic is Keith Hamer's best Sunday bet and he has a tip for every race in the UK and Ireland.

NAP: Queens Magic 2.10 Market Rasen

Next best: Chosen Path 3.50 Market Rasen

Queen's Magic can strike for the first time over jumps in the Love Market Rasen EBF mares' "National Hunt" Novices' Hurdle.

It is not always seen as a drop in class when a maiden moves from handicaps back into novice company.

But in the case of Neil Mulholland's mare, there is no doubt she faces opposition generally of a less-vaunted calibre here than she has of late.

The seven-year-old, a bumper winner and ex-Irish pointer, has been consistent too.

Against novices last year, after two bumpers, and in two decent handicaps this term, she has not finished out of the first four from seven attempts since arriving from Mags Mullins.

The seven-year-old has earned her rating of 118 and receives 6lb from the only previous jumps winner in the field. She will not get many better chances than this.

The mares are in action again for the second race on the card at the Lincolnshire track, and this time it may be Emma Lavelle's Viva Vittoria who has found the right opportunity.

The five-year-old has been runner-up on three of her four starts to date, and last time she was outpointed only by Nicky Henderson's highly-promising Yellow Dockets at Warwick.

In the Wldc Chairman's mares' Handicap Hurdle, she will be unlucky to find any rival as talented as that.

The canny Dr Richard Newland has already picked up two handicaps in quick style with Jimmy Rabbitte, since acquiring him from Ireland.

The six-year-old has been bumped up 10lb for the second of them at Catterick. But Charlie Hammond is back to take five of them off, and Jimmy Rabbitte has hat-trick prospects from near the foot of the weights in the Market Rasen Town Council Handicap Hurdle.

Chosen Path opened his account over fences at the second attempt at Newbury in December and looks hard to beat in what has cut up to a match for the Love Lincolnshire Wolds Novices' Chase.

The six-year-old, trained by Alan King, was highly tried as a novice hurdler and showed promise first time when switched to the bigger obstacles in finishing third at Plumpton in November over an inadequate trip. This three miles is more his bag.

Star Of Rory showed his turn could be near when running second to Dyliev at Warwick last month - a distinct improvement from his three previous efforts over jumps - and he may be on the mark at Huntingdon.

As long as the John Groucott-trained five-year-old comes on for that, he should make his presence felt in the MansionBet Handicap Hurdle.

Paddy's Poem has run well on his first two starts over fences, despite making the odd mistake.

Trainer Nick Gifford will have worked on that in time for the eight-year-old's run in the MansionBet Novices' Limited Handicap Chase.

In Ireland, Navan takes centre stage with two graded races.

The first is the Ladbrokes Ireland Boyne Hurdle, in which Bachasson has an obvious chance to follow up his New Year's Eve win over a furlong shorter than this at Punchestown.

The grey appeared to slightly surprise his powerful connections with that successful seasonal debut.

But Willie Mullins' three-time winning chaser even had a shot at the Cheltenham Gold Cup last season, when he fell at the second, and retains an entry in next month's Stayers' Hurdle at the Festival.

He and Ruby Walsh should have this decent field covered.

Chris's Dream may well prefer softer ground than he is going to get in the Ladbrokes Acca Boosty Ten Up Novice Chase.

But Henry de Bromhead's seven-year-old still gets the very marginal nod ahead of former Cheltenham and Punchestown Festival winner Champagne Classic, who was eyecatching when less than two lengths behind him on his return from a long lay-off and chasing debut at Naas last month.

Sporting Life tips:

HUNTINGDON: 1.00 Hold The Note, 1.30 Heatstroke, 2.00 Paddy's Poem, 2.30 Star Of Rory, 3.05 Give Him Time, 3.35 Nobel Leader, 4.10 Supakalanistic, 4.40 Global Domination.

NAVAN: 1.50 Raya Time, 2.20 Bachasson, 2.55 Oscars Den, 3.25 Chris's Dream, 4.00 Ucello Conti, 4.30 Gliondar Mo Chroi, 5.00 Cenotice.

MARKET RASEN: 2.10 QUEEN'S MAGIC (NAP), 2.45 Viva Vittoria, 3.15 Jimmy Rabbitte, 3.50 Chosen Path, 4.20 Mixchievous, 4.50 Minella Voucher.

DOUBLE: Queen's Magic and Chosen Path.

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