Owen bids for festive success with 33-1 and 14-1 Monday ITV selections 🏇

It’s not quite 11 meetings, but the day after Boxing Day still treats us to fantastic racing! The feature action comes once again from Kempton, which hosts the return of Shishkin in the Desert Orchid. Chepstow also hosts a fine card which is headlined by the Welsh Grand National, with the Grade 1 Finale another fantastic contest.

We’ll have horse racing tips for all the action, including all eight races live on ITV4. With plenty of competitive action, I’ve found a pair of horses who I think can run massive races on Monday, and they’re currently priced at 33-1 and 14-1. Find all my analysis below, and best of luck if you’re following!

2.50 Chepstow – Coral Welsh Grand National Handicap Chase

I’m glad to see that Matt Newman is in agreement with me that Achille (33-1) is a huge price for the Welsh National. He was a consistent force in good marathon events last season and having been unlucky not to plunder a big prize, he can gain his compensation here.

He went down by half a length in the Classic Chase at Warwick in January, suffering the same margin of defeat in the Grand National Trial at Haydock, where he was very unlucky not to get there. His season ended at Uttoxeter, with that venue not offering enough of a stamina test for him.

It was obvious that he needed the run on return in the Becher and Venetia Williams’s horses are in much better form now. Heavy ground will be perfect for him and I’m struggling to work out what he’s done so wrong that he warrants such a huge price tag.

3.10 Kempton – Play Ladbrokes 1-2-Free On Football Handicap Chase

He doesn’t win often and he’s not the easiest to catch right, but Double Shuffle (14-1) seems to save his best for Kempton and it’s worth chancing he’s on a going day. He was a course and distance winner in January off a mark of 140 and he’s just a pound higher today, so he’s evidently well-handicapped.

On his next start, he ran fairly in a Grade 3 course and distance handicap, and subsequent runs do have excuses, never travelling when pulled up at Wincanton last time. This represents a drop in grade and a return to a sharper venue will certainly help after runs at Chepstow and Wincanton, both galloping tracks.

Tom George has his string in fine form at present and the ground has come into his favour. If Ciaran Gethings can get him into a rhythm, he’s unlikely to be far away at a price.

If you back any of our selections you can watch them live on the free Racing Post app or racingpost.com. Simply log in to one of your bookmaker accounts and click ‘Watch live’ on the racecards.