- Tuesday, 12 May 2026 06:39
- Written by G Edwards
There is one jumps meeting today at Hereford, another fixture to have been transferred from Worcester this season with that track not being ready to race due to winter flood damage. The stable does not have any runners today. There are actually not many runners at all at Hereford this afternoon which is a little sad to see but it is understandable with the ground described as good, good to firm in places and we could really do with some rain! The racing gets underway at 2.38pm with a two runner novices handicap chase and is followed at 3.08pm with a three runner handicap chase. There are then a few more runners in the hurdle races before it concludes with a four runner bumper - not very exciting!
- Monday, 11 May 2026 07:03
- Written by G Edwards
The new week starts with one jumps meeting at Southwell today but the stable does not have any runners. Jack Tudor is in action for Christian Williams and he looks to have a couple of good chances of winners. There are three flat meetings today at Catterick, Windsor and Wolverhampton and it is the first Monday evening racing of 2026 at Windsor. I quite like the tradition of courses having the same race day over a period of time like Windsor often has racing on a Monday evening. I think, especially people who live in London can guarantee to plan a nice evening out racing on a Monday and make it a regular thing. In Ireland they have a meeting under each code with flat action at Roscommon and jumping at Killarney.
- Sunday, 17 May 2026 07:37
- Written by G Edwards
It is a quieter day on the racing front and there is just the one jumps meeting at Ludlow but the stable does not have any runners. There was due to be a second jumps card at Plumpton but that meeting was abandoned during the week because of a case of equine flu at a livery yard that is very close to the track. The case is in an unvaccinated non-thoroughbred horse but the risk was deemed too big for racing to go ahead. This was due to be Plumpton's last meeting before it takes a summer break so there will not be any racing there now for a little bit. The BHA keep informing us of an increase of reported cases of equine flu in Britain at the moment but these have all been in non-thoroughbreds so far but they are asking everyone to be extra vigilant. It was back in 2019 that racing was affected by an outbreak of equine flu which is very serious and since then all racehorses have to be vaccinated twice a year. Fingers crossed the stringent vaccination process in racing can prevent anything spreading into our world but it seems wise to take unnecessary risks, like with abandoning Plumpton today.
- Saturday, 09 May 2026 06:57
- Written by G Edwards
No runners for us today but there is plenty of action to keep us entertained under both codes. Ascot is the feature flat meeting with plenty of runners including a 29 runner handicap at 2.20pm, good luck in finding the winner in that one! It is Swinton hurdle day at Haydock on a mixed card which has three jumps races and four flat races and Jack Tudor is in action there. There are two jumps meetings, one at Hexham this afternoon and the other at Warwick this evening. The other flat racing comes from Leicester and Nottingham while in Ireland they have a meeting under each code with jumping at Killarney and flat action at Naas. I think we should have more mixed racing cards in Britain like at Haydock today. I think it is great for the public to be able to watch both codes on the same day at the same track and there are plenty of racecourses where I think it could be made possible. They do it a lot in France and it seems to be well received but I am sure there must be a reason it is not done more often over here! Imagine at Lingfield in the winter you could have jumping action alongside all-weather racing, at Southwell as well maybe. Just a thought!
- Friday, 08 May 2026 06:50
- Written by G Edwards
It is Chester Cup Day on the final day of the three day meeting at Chester and the 2 mile handicap features at 3.05pm this afternoon. There are 17 runners and Joseph O'Brien has the first two horses in the betting with A Piece of Heaven just holding favouritism from stablemate Galileo Dome but the trainer also has another quite fancied runner in the shape of 2024 Cheltenham Festival winner, Putyourhandstogether. It looks a wide open handicap and fiercely competitive as you would expect with just under £90,000 in first prize money up for grabs. We won this race back in 2010 with a horse called Mamlook and Richard Hughes on board. Last year's Derby winner, Lambourn makes his seasonal reappearance in the 2.35pm Group 2 Huxley Stakes and I expect him to make a winning return. His form tailed off a little at the back end of last season but before that he was exceptional and with the Ballydoyle team having a great Chester meeting I am sure he can continue their good week after they won the two big races at the track yesterday.
- Thursday, 07 May 2026 06:55
- Written by G Edwards
There is just one jumps meeting today at Huntingdon and the stable does not have any runners. There is not lots of runners on the card, I imagine because the ground is going to be fairly quick and it starts with just a two runner maiden hurdle. There are more runners in the other races and it looks like the Skelton's could have another good day. There are four flat meetings today with Chester again taking centre stage but it is supported by Windsor, Redcar and Southwell. In Ireland there is a jumps card at Wexford.
- Wednesday, 06 May 2026 07:06
- Written by G Edwards
Best Night runs at Newton Abbot Today
Today we have the opening day of Chester's big meeting on the flat plus three jumps cards so plenty of action to watch. The jumps racing comes from Kelso, Newton Abbot and Fontwell and we have two runners, one at Newton Abbot and one at Fontwell this evening. We were due to have three runners but Purple Owl is not quite right so he will wait for another day. Best Night runs in the 3.50pm at Newton Abbot with Harry Cobden on board, a mares handicap hurdle over two miles. She is a course and distance winner but needs to bounce back from a below par effort at Taunton last time. She is a likeable filly who won twice last season and I think the ground at Taunton last time was not too her liking and she never looked happy from an early stage. They had put quite a bit of water on the track to make it safe and I am not sure she enjoyed conditions. With some natural help from above, Newton Abbot have not done much watering and it is described as good, good to soft in the places which will suit. We are about fourth best in the betting and hopefully she won't be too far away.
