Ascot betting tips for December 21 on Horsebetting.com say The Glancing Queen is the NAP of the six-race card in the Listed bumper on day one of this Christmastime meeting. Gallahers Cross is also strongly fancied in the extended 2m 5f maiden hurdle for Nicky Henderson. Le Musee, meanwhile, looks each-way value in the conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle over the same course and distance. Read on for further details in our in-depth Ascot betting tips for December 21.The Glancing Queen appeals most at AscotAlan King looks to have a very smart filly on his hands in The Glancing Queen, who still gets weight from the geldings despite a previous win at Listed level. She therefore looks the one to be on in the similar grade bumper that closes Friday’s card at Ascot (15:40).
This four-year-old daughter of Jeremy won an Irish point by a cosy three-quarters of a length back in March and was then pitched straight into Listed company at Cheltenham’s November Meeting. The Glancing Queen was held-up towards the rear of the field by Wayne Hutchinson and then starting making progress before four out.
She improved to chase the front trio approaching the two marker and closed before the final furlong. The Glancing Queen then ran on strongly to lead in the last 75 yards and won going away from Mega Yeats by 1 1/4 lengths. This was a really taking debut under rules, especially as the third mare Royal Illusion, who was just a further nose behind, had won her previous two starts in really impressive style.
Still getting weight despite previous success in grade
Although under a 4lb penalty for her victory here, that doesn’t fully offset the usual 7lb sex allowance The Glancing Queen gets from the boys. She still receives 3lb from them, so taking that into account she looks well worth a crack at the geldings and comes out on top on Racing Post Ratings.
With jockey Wayne Hutchinson aboard and operating at 25 per cent strike rate in the last 14 days at the time of writing, it’s The Glancing Queen who looks well worth a wager for back-to-back Listed wins. She thus rates the NAP among our Ascot betting tips for December 21.Gallahers Cross also fancied on hurdles bowThe six-race card kicks off with an extended 2m 5f maiden hurdle (12:45), and Gallahers Cross looks to have leading form claims based on his bumper run here on this card 12 months ago for champion trainer Nicky Henderson. The six-year-old Irish import is bred to get this trip and further in time, and readily won both a point at Punchestown and a National Hunt Flat race at Galway before joining his current handler.
Gallahers Cross is by Stowaway out of an Oscar mare, and it’s worth remembering that Coolanly, who was pulled up in that Punchestown point, has gone on to win the Grade 2 Hyde Novices’ Hurdle this season. He was then bought by new owners after an assertive 6 1/2 lengths victory at Galway and sent to Seven Barrows trainer Henderson.
The Listed bumper here in which Gallahers Cross was a close-up three-length fourth to Didtheyleaveuoutto has thrown-up plenty of winners since. The winner has landed his first two hurdles starts for Nick Gifford and JP McManus, while Strong Glance – who was a length or so down on the selection in fifth – won a bumper on his return to action at Cheltenham.
Kateson, who was down in seventh, is two from two over hurdles too, and Paul Nicholls trained mare Posh Trish (10th) is two from three – including a Listed victory last time out. Even Portrush Ted, who pulled up, came out and won the Grade 2 Aintree Bumper and his hurdles bow over the summer and there’s more besides, so the form is absolutely rock solid.
Henderson’s team remains on a healthy 23 per cent strike rate in the last fortnight at the time of writing. So, with Nico De Boinville again on board, everything points to a big run. It’d be no surprise to see Gallahers Cross lay down a marker with an impressive hurdles debut here and that’s why he’s also among our Ascot betting tips for December 21.Le Musee looks each-way valueLater on the card is a conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle over the same course and distance (15:05), and Le Musee looks worth an each-way punt in it for trainer Nigel Hawke. This lightly-raced five-year-old is a French Flat recruit who has won one of his four starts over timber on soft or worse going and finished second on all three other occasions.
Le Musee clearly isn’t seen to best effect on good ground, so the forecast cut underfoot clearly suits. He broke the maiden tag at the third time of asking for Hawke in a 2m 3f Taunton maiden in March and was then chanced on fair better going at Cheltenham at the end of last season.
While Le Musee simply wasn’t travelling well and never better than midfield, it may just be that Prestbury Park isn’t to his tastes. He was a much closer 7 1/4 lengths ninth to Speedo Boy there on reappearance and handicap debut off a mark of 122 in a race where several hurdles were omitted due to the low sun.
Track should suit
Although Le Musee again shaped like Cheltenham wasn’t his cup of tea, he gamely reversed that form with Speedo Boy in a similar class 2 handicap at Newbury’s Winter Carnival last time out when best of the rest behind Champ. He was no match for the ready winner, but still stuck to the task well and went down by 4 1/2 lengths.
The handicapper has put him 4lb for that to a mark of 126, but the rise in the weights is offset by the booking of Tom Buckley in the saddle who takes 10lb off with his conditional claim. Taking that into account, Le Musee runs off an adjusted rating that is 1lb lower than his Taunton victory, so he looks well worth chancing each-way and completes our Ascot betting tips for December 21.Your Next Bet
