Angus McNae: My top horse racing tips for Sunday

A Happy New Year to you all. I hope this column can find plenty of winners throughout 2022 and that you enjoy reading my thoughts. I have four selections on Sunday to get the ball rolling.

I cannot ignore any Willie Mullins-trained horses with the yard in sparkling form and thus, even at a short price, Blue Lord warrants support.

Placed in Grade One hurdles last season, he made a successful start to his career over fences and there is more improvement to come. He won easily at Fairyhouse on his chasing debut, jumping soundly and sauntering home. This looks to be an ideal stepping stone to Graded stakes.

This horse has uncapped potential now he is handicapping. He didn’t show much over hurdles but, sent chasing, has shown enough under a couple of considerate rides to suggests that he can win in this grade. A mark of 119 gives him a great chance in this low-grade handicap and Davy Russell, the “Galvinator”, gets on board for the first time over fences . The combination are worth a punt in a modest contest.

Gordon Elliott has a fine record in this Grade One race. He has won three of the past five renewals and looks likely to take it again with either Hollow Games or my selection Ginto.

Ginto thrashed Eric Bloodaxe in a good time last time out and the runner-up has subsequently gone on to win a Grade Two at Limerick. Not only did Ginto bolt up there, but he did it while showing obvious inexperience. He comes up against a progressive stable companion but Ginto has much better timefigures to his name and must be the selection here.

Wakool is a most progressive individual and his improvement has not stopped yet. His past two wins have come in facile fashion at Musselburgh and I am backing him to go in again here. He deserves extra credit for storming clear last time out, where he was held up off a modest gallop and is clearly well ahead of his mark. He makes plenty of appeal to go in again and continue his progression.