Timeform Daily View - Sunday preview and tips

Horse Racing

Sat October 17, 2026 · 5h ago

Timeform provide an overview of three things to note on Sunday.

Another ‘National’ for Christian Williams?

Christian Williams has won a Midlands National and Welsh National with Potters Corner and two Scottish Nationals thanks to Win My Wings and Kitty’s Light, both of whom won another major long-distance chase, the Eider, while Kitty’s Light also won the bet365 Gold Cup. The Welsh trainer now bids to add a Durham National (15:20) at Sedgefield to his haul of marathons with Fever Dream whose colours were also carried by Kitty’s Light.

Fever Dream has won two of his last three starts, with both those wins coming at Warwick, the first one in March and the other last month when he looked like winning more comfortably for much of the way though was all out to hold on in the end by a short head from Snipe after losing momentum at the last.

Fever Dream was returning from five months off at Warwick following a breathing operation. On his previous start, he had contested another ‘National’, the Highland version at Perth where he still looked in good form until apparently stretched by the longer trip. In hindsight, though, maybe it was a wind issue rather than lack of stamina which caught him out. In any case, Fever Dream has also finished third in the Norfolk National at Fakenham in the past, so he looks worth another try over a marathon trip and he’s worth chancing heading the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings.

‘Large P’ colt steps up to listed company

Leopardstown’s card features a couple of listed contests, including the Trigo Stakes (15:42) over a mile and a quarter where plenty of eyes will be on ‘Hot Trainer’ Aidan O’Brien’s runner Come What May.

He’s easily the most unexposed member of the field, having only made his debut just over three weeks ago. One of only a handful of newcomers in a big field of maidens at the Curragh, Come What May was sent off at 5/1 and made a highly promising start to his career, briefly looking green early in the straight, but travelling smoothly overall and winning readily once leading over a furlong out to beat favourite Almazann by three and a half lengths. That earned Come What May the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag as well as the ‘large P’ symbol on his rating, indicating that he’s potentially open to lots of improvement.

Come What May certainly appeals on pedigree as he’s a full brother to Sir Michael Stoute’s ill-fated 2022 Derby winner Desert Crown. The outcome of this race could well decide his immediate future as he has been entered in the Autumn Horses In Training Sale at the end of month, though victory here would presumably increase his chances of being retained by Ballydoyle for a four-year-old career. Either way, he’s a fascinating runner.

JP McManus pair can fight out Munster National

The day’s other ‘National’ takes place at Limerick where it’s the JT McNamara Munster National (16:00), albeit over three miles rather than a true marathon trip, though ten years ago it was won by the future dual Aintree hero Tiger Roll. JP McManus will no doubt be particularly keen to win a contest which remembers local amateur rider JT McNamara who gained three of his four Cheltenham Festival winners in the McManus colours – on Rith Dubh, Spot Thedifference and Drombeag – but was left paralysed by a fall at the 2013 Festival before his death at the age of just 41 in 2016.

McManus has two very good chances with Uhavemeinstitches and A Wave of The Sea, trained by James Motherway and Shane Broderick respectively. Preference is for the former who heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings and is the mount of Harry Cobden. At the age of six, Uhavemeinstitches is the junior member of the field and still quite lightly raced. She also has the ‘Horses For Courses’ flag thanks to a fine record at Limerick where she has gained two of her three career wins, including a Grade 3 novice last March. She also ran her best race over fences at the track last Christmas when third in the Grade 2 Dawn Run Mares Novice Chase.

Uhavemeinstitches can be forgiven her last run at the Punchestown Festival as she looks on a lenient mark here. Towards the foot of the weights, A Wave of The Sea, who reached the frame in all three runs in the Munster National when with Joseph O’Brien (runner-up in 2021), has been teed up for this with a spin on the Flat following an easy win over fences at Kilbeggan in August and completes a strong hand for his owner.