RACING JOURNALIST JOHNNY Ward gives his best tips – along with the latest BoyleSports odds and offers – as Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival comes to a close.

BoyleSports and bookmakers generally have had mixed fortunes after three days of Leopardstown but those punters who latched onto Willie Mullins after his six-timer on Tuesday had to wait until the last for a winner Wednesday – and that was odds-on!

We’ve a strange situation today where the big race at Limerick for four-year-old hurdlers has attracted just two runners, while Pied Piper and Vauban – two four-year-olds – contest the big one instead at Leopardstown.

Gordon Elliott had a treble on day three and there looks to be cracking each-way value about his favourite in the first race today.

Here are our three best bets for the day (all odds correct at the time of writing):

12.00 Leopardstown: Arctic Ambition (5/1) 

I’m amazed at how big this horse has been put in at. He’s only had three starts for Elliott – and we’ve seen the incredible improvement Maxxum has produced since switching to him – while he was sent off 6-4 and 4-11 on his last two starts. He won as he liked at Thurles, didn’t seem to do much in front and is only 9lb lower here.

At the time of writing, 11/2 is available but I can see this horse going off much closer to 11/4 or so and BoyleSports pays five places.

He was purchased by some shrewd characters earlier this year out of the Robert Tyner yard and one thing can be said for this horse is that he jumps exceptionally well. Glamorgan Duke, a course-and-distance winner, has already been scratched, and that makes it an even more appealing each-way bet. 

12.35 Leopardstown: Transmission (22/1)

This horse has a little bit to prove but I think he offers each-way value on what form he has shown. At Wexford, without any hurdling experience, he split Inthepocket and Joyeaux Machin and that form is working out exceptionally well.

Colm Murphy, trainer of Brave Inca and Feathard Lady, had retired but returned in recent seasons and has done especially well with Impervious, who is developing into a smart mare for Transmission’s owner. Madmansgame, the morning-line favourite, hardly looks a good thing on bumper form, has been off since April and has a tongue tie on for the first time.

Perhaps Search For Glory will be sent off favourite and win, keeping up the amazing run of the Elliott team, but Transmission looks value – you don’t even have to be a Joy Division fan.

2.55 Leopardstown: Time To Rocco (20/1)

Jockey Michael O’Sullivan, already among the Grade One winners this term, is making quite an impression. This mare was sent off 11s in a smart novice race at Thurles so I can’t see how she is 28s here in a race in which surprisingly few are solid.

She had a horrible fall then and there was a fair bit to go but she was shaping perfectly well. Money for Green Glory would be interesting, with Charles Byrnes among the winners at Limerick and this horse having such useful bumper form, but Hardy Bloke looks a crazy price and the bookmakers have surely underestimated the Motherway-trained mare.

BoyleSports has a money back offer on every single race of the Leopardstown festival, offering customers maximum value for the festival and throughout Christmas.

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