Doncaster, Newbury, Newmarket and Thirsk to have a go at today.
Jockey/Trainer stats
Newmarket : Billy Loughnane & Charlie Appleby
Last 3 years - 10 runs 4 wins 6 places.
They team up for one on Saturday at HQ while Buick is over at Newbury.
4.02 Newmarket - Shabab Al Ahli
Appleby has two in the race. Planas rides the other.
Over at Thirsk, there appears to be some very competitive racing, so bet with caution, but two stats worth looking at
Scott is leading trainer over last 3 years.
3.37 Thirsk - Pixie Diva opened @ 15/2 with 5 places on 365
Crisford has a place strike rate of 76% 13 from his last 17 at the track have placed.
he has one tomorrow
3.00 Thirsk - Faeberon - opened @ 11/2 with 3 places on 365.
Loads of tracker horses going tomorrow too :
3:00 Thirsk - Caraway - opened @ 10/3 on 365- that is plenty short enough.
Comment from prior race :
“19:00 Wolvs 08 May 2026
HANDICAP (6) - Distance : 1m 4f 51y - Prize : £3,245
Rated : (0-60) Age : 3yo Race Type : Flat Surface : Artificial
Caraway, sent off the 6/5 fav here backed in from 3/1 earlier in the day. Had not shown too much form going into this so the market strength was somewhat surprising. Went through the race well enough but in behind 4 horses coming into the straight, jockey went for a gap that was closed just as he started to go through it, horse was badly hampered and jockey immediately eased the horse out of the situation and backed off any further participation in the race.
Looked to be coming with a decent challenge, will be interesting to see if money comes again for this one given the “trouble in running” comment now appears the last twice on his record.”
3:37 Thirsk - Pixie Diva @ 15/2 5 places (highlighted above also)
Comment from notebook race :
“17:40 Yarm 11 April 2026
HANDICAP (4) Distance : 5f 42y
Prize : £5,653 Rated : (0-80) Age : 4yo+ Race Type : Flat Surface : Turf
Came from way off the pace in this 5f race having won the time before over a stiff 5f at Newcastle.
Mde up many lengths towards the line, but seemed to be a case of those in front slowing down rather than her picking up speed. Should remain competitive in a stiff 5f race from around this mark (78)”
4:12 Thirsk - Mission Command @ 11/2 - 4 places
Comment from notebook race : Back up to a mile for first time since that run.
“07apr - Handicap - 1m, Class 5.
Not much came from off the pace at this particular meeting, one that did was the 4yo Mission Command. This horse won a couple of races in his 2yo season and came out as a 3yo with an OR of 87. Been falling down the grades slowly ever since.
Rated 73 in this one and pushed out to 1m for the first time on good to soft ground he showed that he was able to get the distance when staying on well from the back in the final couple of furlongs closing down the leaders all the way to the line.
Likely needs one to fall right, but seems to be running around the right mark now and so should remain competitive in and around this grade of horse. Likely won't be too long before he can regain winning ways now down 14lbs from his high mark.”
16:47 Thirsk - Leadenhall
As noted this looks like a prep race :
“29/4
Leadenhall had won this race in 2025, but was coming here 3lbs higher than last year, had taken a similar path to this race than the prior year also with two runs at Redcar before coming to Pontefract.
The horse traveled through the race towards the rear, coming into the turn around 7 lengths down, pushed along for the final 2-3 furlongs and responded to pressure , staying on well to the line to get within a couple of lengths of the winner.
The horse likely has a couple of options going forward, last year it ran in a valuable (13k class 4) handicap at york in mid June from a mark of 78. That may well be the target race, before that it is likely going to turn up at Redcar in May - a race it has visited for the last two years running. A run down the field in that one should see the horse get into the York race 4 - 5lbs below last years mark with a good chance of bringing home a nice prize. The extra furlong will suit.
Failing that the horse also has a good record at Haydock, and if the York idea does not work out, i wouldn't be surprised to see this one go to Haydock in mid August for a crack at the class 4 handicap they have on that card (has won twice before over that track and trip about that time of year)”
5:10 Newmarket - Tex opened @ 2/1
As noted, I’m not going to play in this one. It does have another entry for Chepstow next week that looks much more competitive. Would not surprise me if he did well in this, but I simply cannot be involved in a hands and heels apprentice race
19:25 Leicester Saturday 09 May 2026
HANDICAP (5) - Distance : 7f - Prize : £3,664
Rated : (0-70) Age : 4yo+ Race Type : Flat Surface : Turf Going : Good
Tex, returning from a 9 month layoff, still a maiden. Had 5 runs in 2025 and was never more than 3.5 lengths from the winner in each of those races. Two 4th places and 3 - third place finishes.
In this one, reared as the gates opened and a little hop and bump left the horse well behind right from the start. Jockey did not panic and slowly went through the race at a steady pace all the while closing down the gap to the leaders.
Finished off his race well over this 7f trip, suggesting that a step back up to a mile would suit better (All runs in 2025 were 1m+) Placed second just 0.5 lengths from the eventual winner here.
Has an entry in a7f hands and heels apprentice race at Newmarket on 16th May. I will not want to be involved in that race and hopefully he does not win as the opportunity will disappear for us if he steps up in that race, but looking forward, a step up t0 1m+ in a 0-70 with a competent jockey up top, and i will want to get a closer look at this one.
17:40 Newbury - Arbaawy @ 13/2 4 places
Has a decent enough chance in here, i’d still rather the horse step up to 1m2f, but at the price its worth an e/w punt.
14 April
16:10 Newmarket - APP HANDICAP (4) Distance : 1m Prize : £7,731 Rated : (0-85) Age : 3yo
Arbaawy was likely the one to take from this race, ran up with the pace for most of the race on the nearside of the field. When those in front went for home early (to chase the one in front) he was caught a little flat footed, but as they got inside the final furlong and they hit the rising ground this one stayed on best of all. The fast early pace collapsed and he stayed on very strongly to the line not going down too far in the end. A step up in trip will likely suit. 1m2f would be ideal or 1m on a stiff track. This one is worth keeping on side.
18:38 Doncaster - Havana Rum @ 9/2
Drop in grade here, back up in trip, looks to be ideal for this one to take advantage. Price is borderline but playable.
07 Apr - HANDICAP : 5f 3y Rated : (0-100) Age : 4yo+
A couple to note from this race, though both are often caught out and need a race to drop right so are normally difficult to catch when winning.
The runner up here was HAVANA RUM, this race probably fell right for this horse, drawn widest of all was slow out of the gate and sat in behind for most of the race, came wide to get a run once round the turn into the straight and made up ground the entire way to the line to go a close second when they hit the line. Is likely handicapped right, but this was a higher grade race then he is able to run in, was passing horses rated 10-20lbs higher then him in the run to the line, when dropped in grade should be able to take one of these larger sprints at one of the northern tracks (seems to go well at Ripon or Pontefract.
19:08 Coy - opened @ 3/1
Had a bit in hand last time out, stays in a 0-70, should remain very competitive in this one.
“did well to overcome some trouble to get off the mark, quicker ground probably suiting him much better than on return; raced off the pace, travelled well, short of room 2f out, forced to switch final 1f, kept on well to lead close home.”
Good luck if you play along with any of these.