God. I've been staring at these racing forms since 6am with nothing but coffee and regret keeping me company. My wife thinks I'm absolutely mental for waking up this early on a Monday, but she doesn't understand the thrill of finding that perfect underdog.

Let me share what I've found after my bleary-eyed analysis (and yes, my "analysis" involved spilling coffee on my favorite racing guide—brilliant start to the week).

The 12-1 Kempton Diamond Nobody's Talking About

THE NEW BAY PEARL in the 4:20 at Kempton is my standout pick today. Listen. This mare had a proper nightmare on turf last time out, but that doesn't tell teh whole story. Before that disaster, she nearly nabbed a win on Southwell's all-weather in a photo finish that still haunts me (I had £50 on her that day... still hurts).

She's clearly more comfortable on synthetic surfaces, and I've got a feeling—call it punter's intuition or plain stupidity—that she'll bounce back today. 12-1 feels generous considering her potential.

Two More That Could Pay For Your Next Round

I'm also eyeing STASH THE CASH in the 4:40 at Beverley. The draw isn't ideal (my racing buddy Dave texted me this morning: "terrible gate, mate, look elsewhere"). But I watched his comeback run at Musselburgh, and there was something promising there. Worth a small each-way flutter.

Then there's TRIPLE FORCE in the 5:15 at Beverley.

This one's interesting. Solid all-weather performer trying his luck on turf from what appears to be a rather advantageous mark. Back in 2019, I followed this horse's sire's progeny religiously and ended up about £400 up over the season. Pure luck, probably, but I'll take it as a sign.

A Confession From Someone Who's Lost More Than He's Won

Look, I've been doing this racing lark for 15+ years now. Had some glorious highs (that 100-1 accumulator that paid for my holiday in 2017) and some crushing lows (the entire month of April 2022... we don't talk about that).

And while I'm sharing these tips, I need to emphasize something important.

The Boring But Crucial Bit About Not Gambling Your House Away

Responsible gambling isn't just a slogan—it's what separates the sensible punters from those who end up in serious trouble. Set yourself limits before you start. Only use money you can genuinely afford to lose. And for heaven's sake, don't chase losses—I learned that lesson the hard way after a particularly dark weekend in 2018.

Never gamble when you're feeling low or angry (I once placed bets after an argument with my boss... ended up £300 down and feeling even worse).

If you need support, there are excellent resources out there:

Gamcare (www.gamcare.org.uk) helped a friend of mine get back on track after things got out of hand.

Gamble Aware (www.begambleaware.org) has some really practical tools.

You can also find a more detailed guide on responsible gambling practices on The Sun's website.

Now, back to studying tomorrow's cards... I've got a feeling about a certain novice hurdler at Exeter. More on that another time!