Richard Birch kicks off 2024 with a 16-1 winner and has three more selections to come

Members' Club tipping is our top-tier betting advice service, starring our biggest and best experts.

This and lots more exclusive insight is published every night on racingpost.com from 6pm.

Members' Club tipping is also available daily in the Racing Post newspaper.

Scots Poet
1.45 Musselburgh
1pt each-way

Sadler's Bay
2.45 Exeter
1pt each-way

Dark Duomo
 3.05 Catterick 
1pt win

Theirshegoes
3.30 Musselburgh
1pt win

Musselburgh regular Scots Poet needs a career-best performance to land the 1m7½f handicap hurdle (1.45), but there are reasons to believe he can do so.

The son of Yeats possesses a high cruising speed and operates best in big-field handicaps where he can weave his way through the field off a strong pace.

Scots Poet found only the well-treated Matchless his superior when a two-length runner-up over course and distance in November off a 1lb lower mark.

He looked the likely winner when moving with menace between the last two flights, but Matchless, an 84-rated Flat performer, proved too strong.

Scots Poet would almost certainly have recorded another top-three finish on his latest visit to Musselburgh had he not slipped up approaching the final hurdle.

He meets Cuban Cigar, winner of that race, on 3lb better terms, and gets in off an attractive low weight of 10st 7lb.

The Churchill Lad, who finished second to Cuban Cigar, subsequently slammed Goobinator in a Class 3 Haydock handicap hurdle to frank the form.

Scots Poet faces a number of lightly raced, progressive handicappers from more high-profile stables, which will hopefully be reflected in a decent price.

Caithness, who looked a potential 130 horse when barely breaking sweat to win at Kelso in October from subsequent three-time scorer El Jefe, is a major player at a track tailor-made for his strong-galloping, front-running style.

However, he has to concede 21lb to Scots Poet off a 5lb higher mark than when beaten at Cheltenham last time out.

While several other rivals possess greater long-term potential than Scots Poet, this £20,000 race is likely to have been his major target for some time – it is his Gold Cup – and I'm more than hopeful the Ewan Whillans-trained runner can reward each-way support at the very least.

Theirshegoes is interesting off bottom weight in the 3m handicap hurdle (3.30) which concludes the Musselburgh card.

The Sandy Thomson-trained mare has caught the eye on multiple occasions since graduating to handicaps off 94 in April.

Sent off a well-backed 7-2 shot over course and distance on her latest start in November, Theirshegoes didn't enjoy the best of runs down the back straight and lost a decent stalking position.

She made rapid headway to lead at the second-last, but couldn't sustain the effort when headed by Sanosuke and was eventually beaten eight lengths into fifth.

Theirshegoes renews her rivalry with Sanosuke on 15lb better terms when the 7lb claim of Lewis Dobb is taken into consideration, and has dropped to a career-low mark of 90. 

She receives a double-digit amount of weight from all seven rivals and looks primed to open her account for an in-form stable.

Sadler's Bay has made an encouraging start to his chasing career and can make it third time lucky over fences in Exeter's 3m handicap chase (2.45).

There is little doubt Sadler's Bay would have landed a 3m1f Warwick handicap hurdle last May off 96 if Beau Morgan's saddle hadn't slipped after the second-last.

Tom Gretton's charge always promised to develop into a better chaser than hurdler, and he shaped nicely first time over fences under 12st at Plumpton in November over an inadequate trip.

He again shouldered 12st when beaten four lengths by Ali Star Bert at Southwell last time, travelling like much the best horse at the weights until headed after two out.

Sadler's Bay carries just 10st 12lb this time and should be spot on in terms of fitness. Those towards the top of the handicap may find it difficult to concede him so much weight in conditions which are likely to be bordering on unraceable.

He is also 12lb and 7lb better off with Pachacuti and Leissieres Express based on their clash at Wincanton in December 2022.

Dark Duomo wasn't disgraced when fourth behind Event Of Sivola and Gibberwell at Hexham last time.

He reopposes on 10lb and 8lb better terms respectively in Catterick's 3m1f handicap chase (3.05), and there could be significant improvement on just his second start over fences. 

A big horse who looks every inch a chaser, Dark Duomo will relish this stamina test under 10st 7lb.

Read these next:

Monday's free racing tips: six horses to consider putting in your multiples 

The Punt Acca: Liam Headd with three horseracing tips at Cheltenham and Musselburgh on New Year's Day 

Get set for the jumps! Join Members' Club now with 50% off 

Sign up to receive The Ante-Postman, Robbie Wilders' top weekly newsletter. Get weekend tips, festival fancies and big-race selections delivered straight to your inbox.