Tipping Tim looking for Sun to shine on Saturday

This is the first weekend of the Chinese New Year, and 2014 is the year of the horse. Hopefully this omen will ensure that I bet loads of winners in the coming months but, given that 2013 wasn’t the year of the hairy yak, there’s a fair chance that it won’t make any difference. My Mother-In-Law is a firm believer in the Chinese superstitions and she will be betting number eight through the card tomorrow, doubling up if they are wearing red, but I will stick with the form-book in my attempts to nail some winners this weekend.

The nap tomorrow has to be Moonday Sun in the 2.55 Lingfield. Amanda Perrett’s horses tend to hit form in fairly infrequent patches (possibly coinciding with when she goes on holiday), and she might just be enjoying the best that Saga has to offer at the moment judging by recent results. This French import caught the eye in a hot race at Kempton on his UK debut last month and, even though I won’t pretend to know anything about his form across the Channel, he travelled like a horse with a bit of class that day. There are plenty of regressive types in this and, under star pilot Andrea Atzeni, I fancy Moonday Sun to out-run big odds tomorrow.

The next best tomorrow is Grendisar in the 3.30 Lingfield. Both regular readers of this column will know that I am a fully-paid up member of the Adam Kirby fan club and, although the market has cottoned on these days, he’s still a stone better than most jockeys on the Polytrack. Grendisar caught the eye under (the three-stone inferior) Paolo Sirigu in a hot race here two runs back and, despite a poor run over two miles last time, he should go close now that he is reunited with Sir Kirby.

For the Trixie I will take a chance on Gypsy Rider in the 4.05 Lingfield. He regularly runs solid races under Ned Curtis on the Polytrack and, with the trip and draw ideal tomorrow, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t get in the frame again.

Good luck with all your bets this weekend!