Our form expert has five selections for the ITV coverage of Ayr and Newbury on Saturday.
The Verdict: Saturday April 18
0.5pts e.w. Splish Splash in the 13:25 Newbury at 25/1 (Sky Bet, Paddy Power, bet365 1/5 1,2,3,4)
0.5pts e.w. Caughtinyourtrance in the 13:45 Ayr at 25/1 (Coral, Ladbrokes 1/5 1,2,3,4)
1pt win Alparslan in the 14:00 Newbury at 10/1 (General)
1pt win Lions Pride in the 14:35 Newbury at 11/2 (bet365, 5/1 General)
1pt e.w. Shout in the 15:10 Newbury at 9/1 (bet365 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6)
You don’t have to be Einstein…
There’s no Constitution Hill at Newbury on Saturday but there is Albert Einstein and with the Betfred 2000 Guineas market in flux the Group 3 Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes could have a big bearing on the antepost betting.
Certainly, the Ballydoyle pecking order is still to be decided, but for all Albert Einstein retains all of his potential the jury is still out over his ability to race efficiently over seven furlongs and a mile and while that doubt remains he’s worth taking on.
The hood could help and if it does he could improve from the Curragh and win, but given he pulled too hard over seven furlongs last time there has to be a chance he does so again here before reverting to sprinting trips.
If he does get beat the obvious alternative on form is Eve Johnson Houghton’s Zavateri, but she has stated he might well need the run and with big targets ahead of him that’s perfectly understandable.
It’s not too much of a stretch of the imagination to see the two market leaders getting beat and Karl Burke’s ALPARSLAN looks well placed to pick up the pieces.
The son of Dandy Man is a strong traveller who gets seven furlongs well and he impressed with his progression in three starts at two.
An easy win at Leicester on debut was followed by a good win at the Curragh in a sales race where he beat Magny Cours, who ran well behind True Love in a Group 3 last weekend, and he turned up at Newmarket for the Group 1 Dewhurst after that.
He took a keen hold on the Rowley Mile and he struggled with the Dip, as well, but he was only beaten just under two lengths by Zavateri with Craven winner Oxagon finishing between the pair.
On just his third start that was a big run considering his adversity and on a flatter track, which should play to his strengths, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if he reversed that form with the Greenham favourite on Saturday.
The Verdict: Back ALPARSLAN in the 14.00 Newbury
Taking a Splash in the Fred Darling
Before the Greenham it's the Dubai Duty Free Stakes (Fred Darling) and Owen Burrows' Touleen is well fancied by the market with the Lope De Vega filly having a big reputation on the back of the start she made to her two-year-old career.
Sent off the 11/10 favourite for the Rockfel after two wins, she was only fifth in the Group 2 but reportedly ‘scoped filthy’ and it seems her team are happy with her now judging by the market support.
The opposition have not been scared off, however, and I thought the aforementioned Johnson Houghton might go into the Greenham on the back of a confidence-boosting run from SPLISH SPLASH who looks worthy of a small each-way bet at a big price.
The homebred is out of the same owners’ Moyglare winner Skitter Skatter and Splish Splash showed ability at two herself after making her debut in third on this track in late August.
Fourth in a good maiden at Doncaster after that behind possible Betfred Oaks contender Amelia Earhart and subsequent dual winner Leading Dancer, she then hosed up by over five lengths at Haydock from Zooming, who is half her price here.
She ended her campaign with a big run in the Listed Bosra Sham at Newmarket, where she finished a place behind Wednesday’s Nell Gwyn winner Azleet, and while she’ll likely stay seven furlongs well the zip she has for six could be a useful weapon in this.
The Verdict: Back SPLISH SPLASH in the 13.25 Newbury
Shout for Oisin in the Spring Cup
There’s a massive field of 26 for the big betting race on the card at Newbury, the Win Unique Experiences At OLBG Prizes Spring Cup, and that can play into the hands of Simon & Ed Crisford’s SHOUT.
The four-year-old can race freely and sometimes he doesn’t break the best, either, but the huge field can help him race efficiently as can the man on board, Oisin Murphy, who gets a fine tune out of him.
Indeed, Murphy gave him a beautiful ride when he bolted up in a big field at Ascot in September and there looks to be more to come from this horse at four after he shaped encouragingly in the Lincoln last time.
Keen under Rab Havlin, he had too much to do from a poor position given how things panned out and with only four lengths to make up on Urban Lion and Rogue Diplomat he can come on from Doncaster and reverse the form.
Murphy has a superb strike-rate for the Crisfords, 12 wins from 31 at 39%, so I suspect this horse has improved for his Town Moor outing with this track, trip, ground and field size looking ideal.
The dangers could be Back In Black and Stem who are potentially well treated, but with his Lincoln run under the belt Shout is preferred now Murphy takes the reins again.
The Verdict: Back SHOUT in the 15.10 Newbury
Take Pride in the John Porter
Constitution Hill would’ve had his work cut out in the John Porter with five horses in the race rated 112 or higher and one of those, LION’S PRIDE, can take this for John & Thady Gosden.
The Clarehaven team is flying after a super Craven meeting where they had four winners and this horse could be more forward than his rivals after taking in the Group 2 Amir Trophy in Qatar two months ago where he raced against the likes of Goliath and Giavellotto.
This looks a drop in class after that and things didn’t pan out well for him that day as he got caught out by the steady fractions, but he wasn’t beaten far and ran well.
Ryan Moore rode two of those Craven meeting winners for the Gosdens and he takes the ride on the son of Roaring Lion for the first time, while this horse gave a glimpse of what he can do over 1m4f on turf with his runaway win in the Listed Godolphin Stakes last September.
That was at 20/1 and he’s not an easy horse to catch right, but the run at Doha was encouraging with a view to the season ahead and it might just give him the edge here.
The Verdict: Back LION’S PRIDE in the 14.35 Newbury
Trance has a chance at Ayr
It’s Scottish National day up at Ayr and the big race looks very tricky with the lightly-raced chasers dominating the top of the market.
Kim Roque, King Of Answers and Road To Home all hold strong chances and while I considered Promontory at 20/1, when that price became more like 14s I withdrew my interest, for all that he's another lightly-raced chaser who clearly stays well.
I do like CAUGHTINYOURTRANCE at 25/1 in the CPMS Novices’ Champion Handicap Chase, though, for Jimmy Moffatt.
The seven-year-old has improved significantly for seeing a fence and he ran well behind Young Jack at Newcastle on his chasing debut where the winner was having his fifth chasing start.
With a 5lb pull to help as well Caughtinyourtrance could well reverse that form here and he will have been sharpened up for running over 2m4f last time at Uttoxeter.
Again, he ran well that day in third, not beaten far and rallying at the end, the step back up to three miles at this track looking very much in his favour here.
Moffatt is seven from 25 at 28% in novice handicap chases since 2020, so he knows what he’s doing in this sphere, and this former point-to-point winner has plenty more to offer over three miles.
He looks a danger to the fancied horses from towards the bottom of the weights.
The Verdict: Back CAUGHTINYOURTRANCE in the 13.45 Ayr
Preview posted at 16:00 BST on 17/04/26
More from Sporting Life
- Racecards
- Fast results
- Full results and free video replays
- Horse racing news
- Horse racing tips
- Horse racing features
- Download our free iOS and Android app
- Football and other sports tips
- Podcasts and video content
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org
