Angus McNae's top tips: best bets for New Year's Eve

I hope you all had a very happy Christmas and have enjoyed the feast of action on Racing TV over the festive period. I’ve got four fancies for New Year’s Eve.

This horse made an encouraging chasing debut off a lay-off and looks to be a decent staying chaser in the making. 

He finished 2 1/2 lengths behind Three Card Brag last time out, but he clearly needed the run and I think that Montys Star can reverse the form. The step up in trip here should suit him, given his only win over hurdles came over 3m on heavy ground. He is related to some useful staying chasers and can make his stamina tell.

This horse is up in trip and running in a handicap for the first tie and that combination should bring about some improvement. 

He certainly caught the eye at Market Rasen last time out, staying on well over 2m without being given a hard time. He gets to race off a mark of 96 with Lewis Stones claiming 3lb off  his back. He will surely improve now that he is up in trip and he looks a solid play.

This top class hurdler, winner of the Ballymore at the Cheltenham Festival in 2022,  is returning to hurdling after his jumping has consistently let him down over fences. 

He looked set to give the very useful Dinoblue a race when falling heavily two out in a Grade 3 at Naas on his latest start. He returns to hurdling by way of a contest that represents a big drop in grade for him and he should be hard to beat as connections seek a confidence-boosting win for him.

This filly has had two runs since a break and looks to be ready to strike. She shaped well last time out over this 2m trip, and on heavy ground, when third off her current mark at Clonmel. 

That should have put her spot on for this, with trainer Gavin Cromwell adept at finding the right opportunity for this type of handicapper. She looks to have a good chance in a weak event.