Saturday best bets from our Timeform analysts at Chepstow, Newmarket, Southwell and York

Horse Racing

Sat October 10, 2026 · 4h ago

We round up the best bets from our Timeform analysts at Chepstow, Newmarket, Southwell and York on Saturday.

WYKEHURST PARK - 13.50 Newmarket (Rory King)

It’s no surprise to absolutely anybody that Stradivarius’ first crop of 2-y-os have taken plenty of time but Wykehurst Park became his second winner – the day after the first – when winning at Yarmouth in the middle of September, and did so in quite taking style, too, considering he’d had to wait quite a while for a run between the leaders before Oisin Murphy rather engineered one for himself against the rail. Everything about Wykehurst Park, from a big stride and a willing-looking head carriage to both sides of his pedigree, suggests this step up to 1¼m will be right up his street, and although he’s got something to find on paper with most of his rivals in the Zetland, he hasn’t had the chances to run to a high level that most of them have.

NIMBA - 14.45 Chepstow (Dan Barber)

The first day of Chepstow’s three-day season opener served as a reminder that proven fitness is no negative at this time of year, particularly after a summer so dry getting work on grass into those returning has probably been a borderline impossibility for most. But Nimba, one of those on the comeback trail, has already shown sufficient effectiveness when fresh to give rise to the belief he can provide connections with another novice winner after Black Eddy and Mia Sunshine in the last couple of weeks. Nimba had Harry Lowes behind him when runner-up to subsequent bumper winner Jet To Vegas in a point first time up, and he took care of another who went on to win in bumpers - namely The Skecher - on his second and final outing between the flags. Nimba impressed all the more when sprinting clear in a Catterick bumper on his debut for Mickey Bowen, and his subsequent second under a penalty at Fontwell was no backward step. He's had a breathing operation since then but that isn't enough to dim confidence in his potential as a novice hurdler this season.

https://www.timeform.com/horse-racing/shop/horses-to-follow

COLONISER - 15.57 York (Kieran Clark)

What's usually a really informative maiden looks that way once more, with Iron Stone Lad likely to be a warm order judged on what he achieved on debut but it was one who was less than a length behind him that makes most appeal in Coloniser. He shaped really well when fourth at Newbury, his inexperience clear to see but he's a fine-looking individual and it's no secret that his yard - one which is having a resurgence of late - brings them on plenty for an outing. The softer ground should pose no problems considering that the mud-loving Arc-winning Sottsass was also by Siyouni and out of a Galileo mare and he looks set to go close upped to a trip which will suit, a Group 1 entry in the Futurity showing the regard that Coloniser is held in.

DUMFRIES – 16.10 Southwell (Pat Jupp)

First of all the negatives, Dumfries is a hold-up horse with a high draw in a race where there aren’t many obvious pace angles, so punters may know their fate from an early stage, but at overnight prices of around 6/1 I’m still prepared to give him a chance to deliver on recent promise. He was much better than the bare result when third at Beverley on his penultimate start and then went down as a decidedly unlucky loser when runner-up at Wolverhampton last time, finishing with a flourish. He only went up a pound for that effort and the return to this longer straight should suit, so he can give another good account.