Horsebetting.com experts give their three best bets for a seven-race card at Doncaster on Saturday, December 15. O O Seven has slipped in the weights and drops in class, so rates our NAP in the 3m bet365 Handicap Chase. The form of Newton Boy’s win last time out has worked out well and he is therefore the next best punt in the 2m bet365 Novices Hurdle. Equus Amadeus, meanwhile, looks decent each-way value in the bet365 Handicap Hurdle. There are full details on these horses in our in-depth preview and Doncaster betting tips December 15 below.Class-dropping O O Seven weighted to strikeO O Seven has dropped to a career-low mark, so now eased in grade looks to hold outstanding claims of making a winning return to action in the 3m bet365 Handicap Chase at Doncaster on Saturday (15:20). This eight year-old, who hails from the in-form yard of Seven Barrows handler Nicky Henderson, has won two of his 11 starts over fences and posted some solid efforts in defeat in hot contests.
They include when a 7 1/4 lengths fourth of 29 to Ultragold in the 2017 running of the Topham Chase at Aintree off a rating of 152, and fourth of 14 to stable companion Gold Present in a Listed contest at Ascot 12 months ago off 153. O O Seven also ran really well when fifth of 13 to Frodon in a very competitive Grade 3 handicap at Cheltenham off 152 and was far from diosgarced on his final start last season when a 12 3/4 lengths third of six to Top Notch in the Grade 3 Oaksey Chase at Sandown.
Easiest task for a while
The son of Flemensfirth is now able to race off a mark of just 147 in this far less competitive affair and that gives him massive claims from a handicapping perspective. O O Seven also has a 67 per cent strike rate in the grade having won twice and been placed once in three starts.
Another plus is that he has a terrific record fresh; so – in what is the easiest assignment he has faced for a long time – his claims look glaringly obvious. That’s why we had no hesitation whatsoever in making O O Seven the standout punt in our Doncaster betting tips for December 15.Newton Boy fancied to follow-upIn the bet365 Novices’ Hurdle (12:25), Newtown Boy looks capable of defying a penalty and giving weight all-round to maintain his unbeaten record over the obstacles. This Alan King trained five-year-old shaped with plenty of promise when placed in two bumper runs and looked one to keep onside when making a winning debut over hurdles last month.
That came in a 10-runner contest at Hereford where the son of Beneficial jumped well and, after taking up the running at the final flight, stayed on strongly to readily beat Rouge Vif by 1 3/4 lengths. It was a taking display and the runner-up has since come out and bolted up by 10 lengths at Southwell.
Jarvey’s Plate, who finished a further neck behind in third, also ran very well at Cheltenham yesterday when finding only Elixir De Nutz – who had previously won a Grade 2 at the same venue – 1 3/4 lengths too good. That gives the form a really solid look and suggests Newton Boy could be an exciting prospect going forward.
If that is to prove the case, then he ought to be capable of giving 6lb to his to his main market rivals Esprit De Baileys and Mach One. Hence he rates out next best bet on the seven-race card and is fully expected to land the spoils en route to better things.Equus Amadeus appeals each-wayEquus Amadeus looks nicely treated on the pick of his form and makes plenty of each-way appeal in the 2m bet365 Handicap Hurdle (14:10) now eased in grade. This Tom Lacey trained five-year-old can be forgiven his latest effort in the valuable Grade 2 Greatwood Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham, as it was a messily run affair in which he was flying high.
Prior to that he, has resumed winning ways on good style when bearing Mick Thonic by 1/1 a length in an eight-runner contest at Wincanton. After tracking the leaders on the outside, he only had to be given a hands and heels ride to take up the running 150 yards from home and score readily off a mark of 128.
Equus Amadeus was value for more than the winning margin suggests and is able to race in this class 2 affair, which is far less demanding than the aforementioned Greatwood, off just 3lb higher. It makes the son Beat Hollow a major player at the weights and he hails from a yard which has been in fine form this season and is operating at a strike rate of 20 per cent in the last 13 days at the time of writing.
The booking of Aidan Coleman to do the steering is also an eye-catching one, as he partnered Equus Amadeus to success in a bumper has has a strike rate of 23 per cent when teaming up with the yard in the last 12 months. So, taking everything into account, Equus Amadeus has lot going for him and thus features as the each-way punt an completes our Doncaster betting tips for December 15.Your Next Bet
