Back Nicholls’ Yoga to stretch his Sandown rivals April 21, 2026 AWAY from the headline action on Sandown’s Jumps Finale card, the Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle (1.45pm) has attracted a competitive field of unexposed hurdlers. It looks unlikely that the race will fill up at this stage, so I’m dipping into the ante-post market with two selections for the two-mile contest now. The first of [...]
Ooh Betty a Cracking bet in Scottish Champion April 14, 2026 AFTER last weekend’s Grand National, attention over jumps switches to Ayr for the Scottish track’s biggest day of the season this Saturday, featuring the Scottish Grand National and Scottish Champion Hurdle. Last season, the race for the Trainers’ Championship between Willie Mullins and Dan Skelton saw Ayr become a key battleground, and while that’s not [...]
Burke to Converge on Newbury with winning double April 14, 2026 CITY AM are race sponsors at Newbury on Friday but it’s the Berkshire course’s Saturday card that provides the better betting opportunities. It offers an early look at potential Classic contenders, alongside the anticipated return of Constitution Hill. He hasn’t got an easy assignment in his first Group race on the level – the Group [...]
All points West to Grangeclare in Stellar Grand National April 8, 2026 FOLLOWING yesterday’s declarations for the 2026 Grand National (4.00pm), the time has come to offer up this year’s selections for the world’s most famous steeplechase. As ever, there will be a maximum field of 34 runners taking on this unique test. With 30 big fences to negotiate over the stamina-sapping four-mile -two-and-a-half-furlong trip of Aintree’s [...]
Strong feeling Leader will be in Aintree Cruz Control April 8, 2026 ONE mustn’t forget that Aintree is not just about the Grand National, with a host of top-class supporting action across the three days, such as Saturday’s Grade One Liverpool Hurdle (3.05pm). As ever, given its proximity to Cheltenham, we see many horses who starred at the Festival rock up to Merseyside looking to do the [...]
Fortune can Favour La brave on Friday with outsiders April 8, 2026 WHILE playing with a straight bat looks the strategy on Thursday, it could be worth swinging for the boundaries a little more on Friday. In the day’s opening race, the William Hill Handicap Hurdle (1.45pm), FAVOUR AND FORTUNE represents a bit of each-way value at around 12/1, lining up here off just a pound higher [...]
No need for form Study to see chance of Snow at Aintree April 8, 2026 AINTREE’s big three days of the year are here with the highlight of course being Saturday’s Grand National. Before that there is plenty of other top-class action to get stuck into, beginning with today’s card which includes four Grade One races. Many of the contests feature horses that ran at the Cheltenham Festival and several [...]
Cotai can leave name in Lights at Newcastle March 31, 2026 THERE is a feast of all-weather action to look forward to on Good Friday, with contests from Newcastle, Lingfield and Chelmsford all live on ITV. One horse that caught my eye is COTAI LIGHTS, who is set to line up in the BetMGM All-Weather Three-Year-Old Championships Handicap (1.50pm) at Newcastle. Trainer Adrian Keatley is bringing [...]
Milan and Bourbon the Quai to success in Irish National March 31, 2026 A BUSY Easter weekend of racing approaches with quality contests to get stuck into across the UK and Ireland, and the Irish Grand National meeting taking centre stage at Fairyhouse. Rebecca Curtis became the first UK-based trainer to win the Irish Grand National (5.00pm, Easter Monday) since 2014 with Haiti Couleurs, and the away team [...]
Long shots look Order of the day in the Lincoln March 24, 2026 NATIONAL Hunt racing takes a backseat this weekend as Doncaster hosts the traditional curtain raiser to the Flat season, the William Hill Lincoln Handicap (3.35pm). Plenty has been said about current Lincoln favourite La Botte, who looked an unlucky loser in the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot last summer. Harry Eustace’s contender could be the [...]
