7.30pm Dundalk Tips & Betting Preview 23/12/2016

Fourteen horses go to post in the penultimate race on Dundalk’s bumper eight race card, see our betting tips and the race preview below.

A good starting point is PAVED WITH GOLD, who won here over 1m back in November and was not disgraced on his bid to follow up when allowing the winner first run over the same C&D a month later. With this in mind, this step up in trip should suit and he has to be respected on his bid to make it two out of three.

Largely consistent the last four attempts with form figures of 5433, Keukenhof clearly has ability, but is hard to win with. The step up in trip on her latest start seemed to work as she was staying on well towards the finish, but she needs further improvement for win purposes today. She will probably have to settle with places again.

Winning twice in her last three races, Super Focus has been ultra consistent and her latest attempt at the C&D led her to a three length victory earlier this month. Clearly in good heart at present, she is impossible to discount and has definite place claims.

He has been out of sorts recently, but Jack Blue does have some solid All Weather form in the book, placing here back in February over the 1m 4f trip. Dropping back this far in trip, however, does cause concern and he may just struggle to go the pace today unless they go a strong clip very early.

Now a nine-year-old, Shake The Bucket has definitely seen his better days; but he has proven that he is still capable of the odd good run, finishing second here over 1m 4f earlier this month. The step down in trip does raise question marks, but this admiral veteran should have place claims tonight if running to the best of his current ability.

Only thrice raced thus far, Aurellia has run well enough the last two times at this venue, most recently when looking one paced in the straight over 1m 4f in November. The drop back to 1m 2f looks a good move, and Oisin Orr is able to claim 2lb which will be useful. However, she will need to improve further in order to feature prominently in this today.

Winning nicely over further a few weeks ago, Solar Heat is clearly in sorts as that win continues a good spell of form at present. She is more exposed than quite a few of these, but Rossa Ryan takes off a handy 7lb, so may well claim a place if this turns into a strongly run affair.