We'll draw a veil over yesterday's outcomes. Desperate ground at Leopardstown put paid to many hopes, including ours, though our all-weather pick ran a cracker at Wolves and was involved throughout.

Onwards and upwards - Thursday's a brand new day, and all that Gone With The Wind stuff (more essential Xmas viewing, if you've the odd three hours to spare).

Another great Leopardstown card, but the ground will have its say. Loudly. Limerick, Catterick and Newcastle (Tapeta) complete the programme for Dec 28th. Something for everyone.

This is an example of how to put together a Lucky 15 - if you can improve upon my selections (of course you can), then go for it!

Prices can of course fluctuate between publishing our pieces and race-time. As a guide, a �0.50p win Lucky 15 on today's selections, at the prices, and assuming all four were successful, would return around �267 for your total �7.50 stake.

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We're unashamedly heading from all at sea (almost literally) yesterday to all-weather today, and a north-east Tapeta tonic. Let's see if this fabulous quartet can do the business.

Newcastle 16.00 - Cosmos Raj @ 5/1

North Yorkshire handler David O'Meara has entered this experienced 5-yr-old gelded son of the mighty Iffraaj. In a similar grade over half a furlong less he ran very well at Wolverhampton last time, beaten less than half a length.

Just 6 days later he turns out once again, and the handicapper has obligingly dropped him a pound. He's been rated as high as 82 in the past and the excellent Danny Tudhope, who knows the horse well, rides.

Newcastle 17.00 - August @ Evs

All-weather maestro Mick Appleby trains this former Gosden inmate - another reappearing soon after a fine run, his first for Michael, just 13 days ago.

Shrewd group The Horse Watchers 1 are the 3-yr-old's new owners, and that recent run was a staying-on placed effort at Southwell. Same grade/trip today, and you can bet jockey Ali Rawlinson and his trainer know more about the horse now since acquiring him in early December.

Seems just the type to provide lots of fun for connections.

Newcastle 17.30 - Al Farabi @ 4/1

The only runner on the card from the powerful yard of Roger Varian. Al Farabi is a 3-yr-old Kingman gelding making his handicap debut after two runs for the stable in novice company. A win and a second - a great return since coming to Newmarket from the great Andre Fabre's operation in France, in October.

This opening mark of 82 looks reasonable and on only his 4th career start to date has a very bright chance this afternoon. The yard are operating at a 31% success rate over the last fortnight, too.

Newcastle 19.00 - The Caltonian @ 9/4

The lucky last - and a 4-yr-old gelding trained by Linda Perrett in South Lanarkshire. The Caltonian won off a mark of 60 at Wolves in October and has since run very well in narrow defeat on his 3 subsequent spins.

One of those was here, over a surely inadequate 5f. He campaigns at everything from 5f to a mile, and this 6f trip, based on a strong finish here over that furlong less, could be absolutely spot-on.

Johnny Peate takes off a useful 3lb and will be on board for the third successive time. His mark of 67 is unchanged after a mere short-head reverse last time over 7f, and I like his chance.

Lucky 15 tips, from Betfred Insights.

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