Charlie McCann’s Tips
Charlie heads to the Cheltenham Festival on Tuesday for his best bet
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Latest Profit & Loss Figures
A good start to the week but a disappointing weekend ended with a profit for week-ending Sunday, 8 March, of +£5.87 profit to a £1 level stake.
Latest Profit & Loss for the week ending Sunday, 8 March, 2026
- Cumulative profit since August 1, 2022: +£1,510.22
- Week ending Sunday, 8 March: +£5.87
- March 2026 to date: +£13.87
- Year 2026 to date: +£120.01
- Year 2025 ended: +£312.73
- Year 2024 ended: +£364.90
- Year 2023 ended: +£469.27
- Period 1/8/22-31/12/22 ended: +£243.31
(All figures to a £1 level stake)
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Charlie McCann’s Tips - Cheltenham Festival Day One
There will be plenty of bubbles burst in the opening Supreme Novices' Hurdle, and good luck to all who are playing in what looks like a vintage renewal. Regular readers will be aware that handicaps and all chases are my personal preference, and I cannot make a recommendation for the Festival curtain-raiser.
I know Nicky Henderson has suggested Old Park Star is his Festival nap at many Festival Preview nights – remember he can't or won't tip a JP McManus-owned horse - and other good Irish judges have suggested Mighty Park just has to be pointed in the right direction. It looks like a deep renewal to me; however, I toyed with putting up a selection without the big two, but that shortlist was about five.
There will be bubbles burst and fingers burnt come 1:30pm (just shy of four minutes for the race, but another five minutes for the two false starts), and it does look like a high-quality renewal, but it is a long week, and I won't be playing.
2:00pm Cheltenham - Kopek Des Bordes
Lulamba was hugely impressive in the Grade 1 Henry VIII Novices' Chase at Sandown in December, but I thought he looked more of a stayer when beating Saint Segal – who would have hated the heavy ground - 6l in the Game Spirit at Newbury last time.
I thought something similar when he was beaten by Poniros in the Triumph at this meeting twelve months ago, and I think the 2m4f Grade 1 Manifesto Novice Chase at Aintree next month is his for the taking. He is a top-class novice chaser with the world at his feet, but I was blown away by KOPEK DES BORDES in the Supreme last year and thought he looked a natural when making a winning start over fences on soft/heavy ground at Navan in December.
He has had a setback, which means he has only jumped those twelve fences in public, and that will be enough for the stats gurus to say he can't win, given Martin Pipe's Well Chief back in 2004 is the last Arkle winner to have had just one chase start before the Festival. Note that the Pipe yard achieved the same feat with Western Warhorse a decade earlier.
We will all go skint listening to rumours of racecourse gallops, but most bookmaker representatives in the lead up to the Festival have said that Kopek Des Bordes is their worst antepost liability. That is on the back of reports suggesting he had schooled very well a couple of weeks ago, and he is just a quicker horse than Lulamba.
If Kopek Des Bordes had been supplemented for the Champion Hurdle, I would have backed him, but connections have never wavered from their Festival target, and I will be disappointed if Lulamba or the selection's stablemate Kargese beat him if he puts in a clear round.
Recommendation: Kopek Des Bordes - 6/4 with bet365
2:40pm Cheltenham - Manlaga & Ammes
I hope it's a good day for both trainer James Owen and owner JP McManus, as my two against the field in the Fred Winter are MANLAGA and AMMES.
Saratoga has long been considered the McManus first string for the race, and he ran an eye-catching race when runner-up at Naas last time, a race with a history of being a good trial for the race. Rated 90+ on the flat, he has been laid out for the race, but I wonder if he would want slower ground.
Nicky Henderson's Manlaga was pulled out of a Grade 2 at Chepstow on account of the fast ground – not good to soft as per the official description – over Christmas but the filly's half-brother Martator enjoys good ground and I'm not overly concerned about the ground given I thought she did well to beat Pourquoi Pas Papa at Haydock last time on ground that was no worse than good to soft. I thought that was a good performance, and I would be surprised if the second reversed the form on 6lbs better terms.
Ammes ran poorly on the flat returning from a break at Lingfield last time, but the only horse to beat him in three starts over hurdles is Minella Study, and he is a top price of 7/1 for the Triumph Hurdle. That Wetherby defeat came in the listed Wensleydale Hurdle when the selection might well have prevailed had he not made significant mistakes at the last two flights of hurdles.
Rated eighty-nine on the level, underfoot conditions should be ideal, Sean Bowen takes the ride, and the hope is that his recent polytrack run will have blown away the cobwebs.
Recommendations: Manlaga - 7/1 with Ladbrokes & Ammes - 10/1 with bet365
3:20pm Cheltenham - Quebecois (Each-Way)
The Ultima is one of my favourite races of the year, and it is slightly further this year, with an extra fence to negotiate. Let's hope we do not have a repeat of the farce of a start we witnessed twelve months ago, when Myretown made most from a 15lbs lower mark.
Myretown is back for more this year and is a must for the shortlist, given the upturn in fortunes of the Russell/Scudamore yard in recent days, and he has his optimum conditions today, although this looks a much stronger race than was the case last year.
Handstands has stamina to prove, but he, Iroko and Jagwar have a touch of class and look sure to go close, although I do not understand why Handstands is 9/1, and Resplendent Grey is 20/1. The pair have met three times previously on similar terms to today, and the score reads 2-1 to the Olly Murphy-trained grey, who is blinkered for the first time by the trainer, who is looking for his first Festival success.
The horse stays this 3m1f trip well and, while his course record isn't great, he won the bet365 Gold Cup on good ground and, if the change of headgear works the oracle, he looks sure to run a big race.
QUEBECOIS (Each-Way) has always struck me as the type to make a better chaser than hurdler, and his impressive hurdles success at the Scottish National meeting last spring came on good ground. He disappointed at Exeter and Sandown – right-handed – at a time when the Nicholls yard were not firing.
His best performance over fences to date came over 2m4f+ here when second to the speedier Jordans Cross on ground softer than ideal last time, and you can put a line through his last start when racing over an inadequate trip. He needed that start to be eligible for this race, and this half-brother to the ill-fated former Albert Bartlett winner Brindisi Breeze gets a narrow vote.
Recommendation: Quebecois (Each-Way) - 10/1 with BoyleSports (6 places)
4:00pm Cheltenham - The New Lion
Golden Ace did us a favour – in the market without the favourites – twelve months ago, and she keeps taking advantage of the jumping shortcomings of her opposition, given she added the Fighting Fifth to her glowing CV at Newcastle earlier in the season.
That Gosforth Park success came after Constitution Hill and THE NEW LION were casualties, and I feel the latter is the one, although he must give 7lbs to a trio of top-quality mares.
Lossiemouth is allowed to take her chance – many thought she would defend her Mares' Hurdle crown despite the absence of stablemate State Man and Constitution Hill – and she is taken to reverse Dublin Racing Festival form with Brighterdaysahead on this better ground.
I am surprised connections of The New Lion are not running a pacemaker, although Tutti Quanti and possibly Brighterdaysahead should ensure a decent test at the trip. At the time, I thought it was a vintage Turners Novice Hurdle that The New Lion won here twelve months ago, but that has not been the case, and it is potential rather than top-class 2m hurdle form that he takes into the race.
If he had stood up at Gosforth Park, we would have known more about his merits at two miles, given his fall two out, which came at a time when the race was just developing. I thought he hated having to lead – nearly ran out down the back straight – but would have beaten Golden Ace with talking horse Anzadam well held.
It promises to be a fascinating though hardly vintage Champion Hurdle. We never found out how Constitution Hill schooled last Wednesday. The decision on his participation in the Champion Hurdle was made at Southwell and not on the schooling grounds of Seven Barrows. I wonder what Nicky Henderson and Michael Buckley will be thinking during the race. Relief? Or what might have been?
Recommendation: The New Lion - 11/4 with Ladbrokes
4:40pm Cheltenham - Will The Wise (Each-Way) (Antepost) & Peaky Boy (Each-Way)
We go into the Plate in a good position with our 20/1 antepost recommendation WILL THE WISE (Each Way), now a top price of 8/1. The rationale for supporting Gavin Cromwell's Novice, who wears a tongue-tie for the first time, is at the foot of the column.
McLaurey has been the talking horse in the buildup to the meeting, and this winning pointer and market rival, Madera, are much respected.
I was considering adding to Will The Wise with Jipcot, whom I recommended in the Coral Cup last year, only for Kielan Woods to blow the start, and he could never get competitive. He will appreciate this intermediate 2m4f+ trip more than the 3m he ran at Ascot last time, and Woods is unlikely to be caught napping at the tape a second time.
I am going to recommend a second selection, however, and that is PEAKY BOY (Each-Way) – a stablemate of Jipcot - despite only getting as far as the second fence at Newcastle last time when having his first run in 371 days and second start for AJ & Jonjo O'Neill.
I remember the horse winning a Novice Handicap Chase over course and distance on chase debut for Nicky Henderson on similar ground to what he will encounter today and thinking he could be a decent tool over fences. He then tried to lock horns with Haiti Couleurs over 3m1f+, running another terrific race until the petrol gave way.
He must go left-handed, will love the ground, and is fitted with cheekpieces for the first time. His is a more tentative selection, but he is a talented horse.
Recommendations: Will The Wise (Each-Way) - Antepost at 20/1 with BetVictor (4 places) & Peaky Boy (Each-Way) - 16/1 with BoyleSports (6 places)
5:20pm Cheltenham - One Big Bang (Each-Way) (Nap) (Antepost)
As with the Plate, we are on good terms going into the NH Chase, although our 20/1 antepost selection ONE BIG BANG (Each-Way) (Nap) remains a double-figure price at 11/1 on Monday morning. As with Will The Wise, I have been keen on One Big Bang for a couple of months now, and the rationale is outlined in the antepost section below.
The nearer I get to the race, the more dangers I can see lurking within, and I would have saved on Newton Tornado on softer ground. As it is, I fear Iceberg Theory more than most, but I am not going to put up an alternative as this has long been one of my strongest fancies of the week – if not the strongest.
Recommendation: One Big Bang (Each-Way) (Nap) - Antepost at 18/1 with BetGoodwin (4 places)
Cheltenham Festival Antepost Selections
The weights have been published for the Festival handicaps, and with all major firms now going NRNB, it is time to add to our two ante-post suggestions with two more recommendations –with money-back insurance if they don't start – in two of the opening-day handicaps.
Update
With the Festival less than a week away, I thought it wise to revisit our antepost (NRNB) recommendations and look at the long-range weather forecast. There is now (11:30am, Tuesday, 3 March) a largely dry forecast in the build-up to Cheltenham with just a 40% chance of rain on Thursday.
The executive were hoping for more rain on Thursday and Friday. All other days up to and including Monday, 9 March, are due to be dry.
My belief is that the Festival will begin on ground described as good to soft, but likely to be closer to good. Clerk of the Course Jon Pullin will have to water either before or during the Festival if the Met Office is correct.
Plate Handicap Chase - Will The Wise
I was fascinated to see the money for Gavin Cromwell's Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin earlier in the week, and our 20/1 Plate recommendation Will The Wise is now a best price of 16s, although it is a general 14/1 shot.
The race itself has been thrown into chaos with JP McManus shuffling his Festival pack even further, having taken Iroko out of a Kelso race at the weekend. Jagwar heads the betting in the Green 'N Gold, but he must race in the Ultima – to become eligible to run - if the owner wants him to line up alongside stablemate Iroko in the Grand National.
NH Handicap Chase - One Big Bang
I think many scribes will believe the lack of rain is a negative for One Big Bang. I disagree, and the selection – like Will The Wise – has been nibbled at and, having been recommended at 18/1, I now expect him to go off a single-figure price with James Owen's Novice Chaser a best price of 14/1.
Brown Advisory Novices' Chase - Wendigo
Wendigo remains 7/1 for the Brown Advisory, and I would not want the ground to dry out too much, although genuinely good ground may inconvenience some of the Irish raiders more than Jamie Snowden's thorough stayer.
Do remember that the race is run over slightly further this year for the first time, and they jump twenty fences. It really is a thorough test, and I would not swap him for any other horse in the race.
Martin Pipe Handicap - Sonigino
I appear to be the only person in the solar system who gives the nine-year-old any chance in the concluding Martin Pipe, and he does need twenty to come out of the race for him to get a run. We will get our money back if he misses the race. Given that he missed an engagement at Kempton two weeks ago, it is possible he has had a mishap and won't be entered at the six-day stage. We will get any monies returned, of course.
If he is entered and is balloted out, do watch out for him at Kempton on Saturday week or at Aintree or Ayr at their spring Festivals. I remain convinced that he is well handicapped at present. The 66/1 is no longer available, but there are still 50s in a couple of places.
Plate Handicap Chase - Will The Wise (Each-Way)
The Ben Pauling-trained Handstands has no fewer than four entries at Cheltenham and I think his best chance would be in Tuesday's 2m4f Handicap Chase but, listening to the handler on one of the seemingly endless supply of Festival preview nights, it appears that the target is a toss-up between the Ultima Handicap over 3m1f on the Tuesday, and the Grade 1 Ryanair over 2m4f+ on Thursday.
Jagwar was a facile winner of the corresponding race twelve months ago, from a 13lbs lower mark - but he has the option of the Ultima earlier in the card, especially if stablemate Iroko bypasses Cheltenham to wait for Aintree and another crack at the Grand National, having run an excellent race in fourth last year.
If Iroko runs at Kelso this weekend, that would make Jagwar more likely to run in the Ultima over further, and he has looked in need of a step up in trip on both starts so far this term. Second-guessing the Festival target for J P McManus-owned handicappers is a difficult task, but the noises coming out of the Josh Guerriero and Oliver Greenall yard in recent days seem to favour the Ultima.
JP still has both McLaurey (Emmet Mullins) and Waterford Whispers (Hendry De Bromhead) near the front of the market, but preference is for another Irish raider, WILL THE WISE (Each-Way).
Gavin Cromwell has entered the selection in both the Plate and the Jack Richards for Novices over slightly further on Thursday. A winning pointer, the seven-year-old pulled up few trees in two chase starts last term but looked a natural in two races at Galway over 2m2f back in the autumn.
He has looked a non-stayer in two starts since in valuable big-field handicaps over 3m, and has been kept fresh and well since the turn of the year with Cheltenham in mind. Gavin Cromwell has not had a vintage season in Ireland, but he is an outstanding trainer, and he said of his inmate in a recent Racing Post pre-Cheltenham Tour.
"He'll probably go for the Plate, but we'll decide when we have to. I don't think he stays that well. I know he won a Pertemps qualifier over nearly three miles over hurdles, but he's a very good, quick jumper over fences and probably over-travels, so we're going to go back to two and a half miles."
I thought the 20/1 available on Tuesday afternoon NRNB was too big.
Recommendation: Will The Wise (Each-Way) 20/1 with BetVictor (4 places) (NRNB)
NH Handicap Chase - One Big Bang (Each-Way)
Ireland had won seven of the last eight renewals of the NH Chase prior to last year, when it was made into a handicap. The prize was won in 2025 by the 7/2 joint favourite and subsequent Irish and Welsh Grand National winner Haiti Couleurs, trained by Rebecca Curtis in South Wales.
Note the last five winners have been returned at SP's of 7/2, 2/1, 10/11, 15/8, and 7/2, and the biggest priced winner of the race in the last decade was the great dual National winner Tiger Roll at 16s back in 2017! That looks like a high price now, but do remember it was a Grade 2 Novice Chase until last year.
Silver Thorn needs eighteen to come out if he is to get a run, while I was expecting to see Saint Davy step back down in distance, having looked a non-stayer over 3m at Carlisle last time out. Just shows what I know, but he does have a touch of class.
Backmersackme heads the market for Emmet Mullins, and he and Brave Fortune are much respected, but I have backed ONE BIG BANG (Each-Way) on what is a big day for James Owen, given I am also keen on one of his in the Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.
One Big Bang finished over 3l behind Wade Out at Cheltenham over 3m1f on soft ground back in November, and I remember thinking post-race the winner would never beat the second again over fences. The selection is 5lbs better off with Olly Murphy's grey this afternoon and is a much bigger price. I loved the way he jumped both at Cheltenham and at Southwell when he made all and easily landed the odds.
Having made all over 3m at Southwell, it was something of a surprise to see him held up back in trip at Doncaster on his next start when he finished third. He was only dropped 1lb for the run – the handicapper could see what I did – but it was a useful experience, and Owen has kept his powder dry since that run in January.
All ground comes alike to the grey, although his trainer believes good ground suits him more than the soft and heavy ground he raced on over timber. I would imagine this race has been the primary objective since his second to Wade Out at the November meeting. There was 20/1 available earlier in the week but he is a best price of 18s at the time of writing – generally 16s.
Recommendation: One Big Bang (Each-Way) - 18/1 with BetGoodwin (4 places) (NRNB)
Martin Pipe Handicap - Sonigino (Each-Way)
Sonigino has not been entered for the Coral Cup, so anyone who backed the antepost selection will already have had their money refunded, given it was NRNB. He has been entered for the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys' Handicap Hurdle, and my thoughts below can be transferred to the Festival finale on the Friday, with Freddie Keighley or Freddie Gingell likely to ride.
Note the nine-year-old has been entered to run at Kempton (2m5f) on Saturday, 21 February, with the weights for the Festival handicaps published next week. He may need to win to be guaranteed a run in the race.
I have been inundated – well, two – with requests for an antepost selection for the forthcoming Cheltenham Festival and, with the meeting now just four weeks away and many of the major bookmakers going NRNB, I have decided to dip my toe in the water.
A rating of 131 was needed to get into the Coral Cup in 2025, and SONIGINO (Each-Way) is rated 132 and is 11lbs lower in the weights than when sent off 16/1 for the Martin Pipe of 2025, when he carried 11st 10lbs but disappointed on heavy ground. Granted, on better ground, I expect him to be a different proposition next month.
His Cheltenham record isn't great, 8-4-PU, but his fourth in the Greatwood Hurdle of 2023 from a 5lbs higher mark is very good form, and I thought he ran a terrific race at Musselburgh last time when he jumped and travelled like a very well-handicapped horse under Freddie Gingell, but failed to stay three miles. His penultimate run at Sandown has been given a boost by the subsequent win of runner-up and stablemate Henri The Second, who is now rated 11lbs higher in the weights.
He is guaranteed a better pace to chase at Cheltenham in the Martin Pipe – the Festival finale - and do remember Paul Nicholls napped him as his best chance of a winner at the two-day meeting at Musselburgh, and the Ditcheat trainer had three winners over the two days.
Antepost Recommendation: Sonigino (Each-Way) - 66/1 with Coral (NRNB)
Brown Advisory Novices' Chase - Wendigo (Each-Way)
My second Cheltenham Festival antepost selection is WENDIGO (Each-Way) at 7/1 (non-runner no bet) for the Grade 1 Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at 2:00pm on Wednesday 11th March.
The selection finished fifth, beaten 8l in last year's Grade 1 3m Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle and is held by the mare The Big Westerner, who finished a two-and-a-half length second to the Willie Mullins-trained winner Jasmin De Vaux. The mare is considered the chief threat to Wendigo, but at the time of writing, the Henry De Bromhead yard remains quiet by their own lofty standards, although they do have a knack of getting them right for the big day.
I do not think The Big Westerner will shorten from her current odds of 5/1, and she has the alternative of the Mares' Chase, although connections have nominated the 3m trip of the Brown Advisory as her Festival target.
Wendigo has only won two of his four chase starts, but he has only had his optimum conditions – 3m on a left-hand track - once previously, and that resulted in a facile 22l Kelso success last time, although that was an uncompetitive heat that saw him returned at 1/5.
I came away from the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novice Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day thinking the first two, Kitzbuhel and Thomas Mor, would never beat Wendigo again, as the latter was ill at ease on the fast ground and right-hand track. The winner blotted his copybook at Sandown when coming down at the open ditch in the home straight, while the second must go right-handed, and he is due to run in the Reynoldstown at Ascot this weekend.
Wendigo would have finished a couple of lengths closer to The Big Westerner at Cheltenham last year had he not got involved in scrimmaging – great word, I should use it more often – after two out in the Albert Bartlett, and this sound jumper goes on all ground, although soft or good to soft would be ideal.
Final Demand heads the market at 7/2 and is one of the reasons I am keen to have a bet in the race, as I was unimpressed with his Limerick Grade 1 success at Christmas, and he again looked laboured when third at Leopardstown to stablemate Kaid d'Authie at the Dublin Racing Festival over 2m5f+. He did win his sole point over 3m and a 2m6f Grade 1 Novice Hurdle, but he has never run over three miles under rules.
I appreciate Willie Mullins – who has saddled the winner three times in the last five years - should know where he stands with Wendigo through Kitzbuhel, but I am putting a line through the selection's Kempton run. I would take Wendigo and The Big Westerner over Final Demand and Kaid D'Authie, that is for sure.
In the last decade, only one horse (Lecky Watson 20/1 in 2025) has been returned a double-figure price for this Grade 1 Novice Chase, and there have been five winning favourites.
Recommendation: Wendigo (Each-Way) - 7/1 with bet365 (NRNB)
*Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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Charlie McCann’s Horses to Follow
Last updated, Monday 30 June
Blue Bolt (Three-year-old filly trained by Andrew Balding)
Blue Bolt was beaten more than 5L on her racecourse debut over 7f at Southwell on debut but she has looked a different proposition on turf, with that experience under her belt, winning both starts over a mile at Windsor and Newbury.
Her latest success in a valuable Novice under Colin Keane suggested she was ready for a step up in grade and she holds an entry in the listed Coral Distaff on Eclipse Day at Sandown.
Her Group 1 entry Matron Stakes at Leopardstown in September suggests connections are taking it slowly slowly with this daughter of Blue Point - no entry in next week’s Falmouth Stakes - but I am convinced she is at least up to listed level.
Keane was jockey up on the filly as soon as the entries were announced and both turf wins have been gained on good or faster ground. There is a possibility of a shower on Wednesday morning, but the forecast is set fair for the rest of the week.
Gunship (Three-year-old trained by James Ferguson)
Gunship was not guaranteed on breeding to appreciate the step up to a mile-and-a-half at Royal Ascot and so it proved with the dual tapeta winner fading from two out in the King George V Stakes.
It is possible that the Sea The Stars colt will always be a better horse on the all-weather, but he travelled as well as anything save winner Merchant at the Royal meeting. We will know more about his long-term prospects after his next start which is likely to be at Newmarket on the Friday of their July Cup meeting.
That bet365 sponsored contest is one of the hottest three-year-old 10f handicaps of the season and he needs ten to come out to be guaranteed a run, but he remains a colt with plenty more to come, and his next start should tell us whether his best days lie solely on an artificial surface.
The form of his previous three quarters of a length defeat of War Hawk at Newmarket has been franked by the runner up who has since won at Chester and Epsom. He would meet Gunship on 6lbs worse terms if they both faced the starter on the July course.
Midnight Tango (Two-year-old trained by Ed Walker)
Midnight Tango really ought to have won the listed Empress Stakes at Newmarket (July) at the end of June when Kieran Shoemark tried to come from last to first on the wrong side of the track. She passed six of her seven rivals in the last couple of furlongs, and I wonder if the jockey will consider it one that got away.
She has only got a modest Hamilton success to her name, but she is held in some regard by Ed Walker, and she is up to at least listed class. It would be no surprise if she landed a Group race between now and the end of the season with something like the Lowther at York’s Ebor meeting under consideration.
Charles Darwin (Two-year-old trained by Aidan O’Brien)
The “lads” at Ballydoyle nominated Albert Einstein as their Coventry horse over 6f at Royal Ascot after making it two out of two in the Marble Stakes at the Curragh. That left Charles Darwin as their Norfolk representative after his fluent Naas win at the minimum trip.
When Albert Einstein was a late defector ahead of the Coventry, connections gave Gstaad the green light to run on the opening day and left Charles Darwin in the Norfolk rather than “upgrade” him to the Coventry which is widely considered the premier juvenile race of the meeting.
Gstaad duly bolted up by 3l in the Coventry while Charles Darwin landed Thursday’s Norfolk by more than 2l hitting the line hard and giving every impression he would relish another furlong. Aidan O’Brien, it would appear, already has the three best juvenile colts in Europe and it will be fascinating to see how connections keep them apart.
If there is a batting order at present, you feel the yard consider 1) Albert Einstein 2) Charles Darwin and 3) Gstaad. Charles Darwin has the physique of a four-year-old let alone a two-year-old and a crack at the Group 1 Nunthorpe over 5f at York in August was muted given the weight-for-age allowance juveniles receive against their elders.
I would prefer the son of No Nay Never to step back up to six furlongs next time, but you get the impression that Albert Einstein will dictate and be campaigned as the yard’s number one until results say otherwise.
As a half-brother to the yard’s dual Group1 winning juvenile Blackbeard, Charles Darwin is not guaranteed to train on next term, but I am convinced he will win at the top table between now and the end of the season.
Aeronautic (Four-year-old trained by Joseph O’Brien)
The lightly- raced Aeronautic finished fifth in the 1m6f Copper Horse Stakes on the opening day of Royal Ascot for Joseph O’Brien who endured such a frustrating week.
The stable had four winners in Ireland on Saturday, and most of their Ascot team ran terrific races in defeat with six finishing in the first four of their respective races.
Aeronautic was no match for French Master at Ascot but ran a cracking race on the quickest ground he has encountered to date. He was beaten less than 4l in the Copper Horse over that mile-and-three-quarter trip and I wonder if connections will consider dropping him back in distance at some time given how well he travelled on that occasion.
After just six career starts the son of Gleneagles has a big race in him between now and the end of the season. The Ebor and Melbourne Cup were races connections may have had in mind for the gelding had he won at Ascot, but I am still convinced there is a big pot to be had with the gelding this term and he won’t go up the weights for finishing fifth.
Classic Encounter (Three-year-old trained by George Boughey)
Classic Encounter was weak in the market, then backed near the off at Newcastle on his first start for George Boughey and belated seasonal reappearance.
He was squeezed out at the start of that hot Novice contest before making good late headway into a never nearer fifth over a mile.
That should have blown the cobwebs away, and I expect him to be more forcefully ridden next time. He will get further than a mile and looks the type to win a maiden/novice on turf in the short turn while he may be eased a couple of pounds from his mark of 82.
He is very much one to keep onside in the months ahead.
Charming Whisper (Three-year-old trained by Charlie McBride)
I appreciate you can go skint backing horses who have been unlucky, but I feel Charming Whisper should have won his last four races for Newmarket handler Charlie McBride.
A winner of two-mile handicaps from marks of 72 and 74 in June, the gelding has met trouble in-running from his last couple of starts over the Bunbury Mile and at Brighton - not convinced he was in love with the track - and I feel he is more than capable of defying his current rating of 80.
A stiff mile on good or faster ground are his optimum conditions, and he is one to keep on the right side of in the short term.
Ride The Thunder (Two-year-old trained by Roger Varian)
He cost 400,000 gns as a yearling and went into my tracker when recovering £1700 of his purchase price when finishing second in a Doncaster Novice to God Of War - had previous experience - on debut over seven furlongs.
I appreciate that the Varian yard lacks consistency, but I will be disappointed if this inmate does not go one better next time. The step up to a mile is likely to suit going forward, although 7f looks his trip in the short term.
Jagwar (Five-year-old trained by Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero)
Jagwar ran with the choke out at Uttoxeter in their competitive 2m 4f handicap hurdle last weekend and a blunder two out put paid to his chance. He was beaten 10L at the line, but he travelled like a well-handicapped horse for much of the race and the hope is that he will eventually cut out the jumping issues that have blunted his progression to this point. He was dropped 1lb to a mark of 118 by the handicapper after Uttoxeter.
Better ground should suit this spring and I wonder if he might be worth a try back at the minimum trip. The conditional jockeys’ event at Aintree might enter calculations at next month’s National meeting.
Merry Monty (Seven-year-old trained by Chris Down)
Merry Monty looked the type to improve for the switch to fences, and he shaped with considerable promise on his chase debut at Exeter over 2m 3f on New Year’s Day, giving every indication that he would improve again when stepped up in trip.
The gelding showed his first form when runner up - also at Exeter - on his penultimate start over timber when he jumped his hurdles as if he had been previously schooled over fences. He is likely to be nudged up the weights from his mark of eighty, but he would have won at Exeter granted another twenty yards, and I will be disappointed if he isn’t bordering on three figures by the end of the season.
Frederick Daly (7lb Claimer)
It is rare to be as impressed with a jockey, especially one who arguably won by too far, having his first ride under rules. Still, I was blown away by the quiet style of amateur Daly, who rode Golden Shot to win the amateur riders’ event at Ffos Las on Monday for Sir Mark Prescott. As Ian Bishop might have said: “Frederick Daly - remember the name”.
The 16-year-old was as polished in his postrace interview with Sky Sports Racing as he was in the saddle, and he suggested that he would spend little time as an amateur and would soon be turning professional.
His 7lb claim is likely to prove very popular when that happens. However, you get the impression that his father, who I remember as a former assistant trainer in Newmarket, and Sir Mark Prescott will manage his progression diligently as he works through his claim.
It might be daft to draw such conclusions after just the one ride, and he never had to get serious on the 29L winner, but there was just something about his style that suggested he was no ordinary amateur jockey. I, for one, will be monitoring his progress and will take note to see if other trainers book the jockey for similar contests in the short term.
Royal Rhyme (Three-year-old trained by Karl Burke)
Goodwood was largely a disappointment, with the rain putting a dampener on proceedings on and off the track. The week was summed up when the last three races were abandoned on the Saturday as the rain returned in spades.
On the track, the highlights were the continued brilliance of Paddington in the Sussex Stakes on Wednesday, but he must play second fiddle to Royal Rhyme, who showed himself to be a Group horse when running away with what is invariably a competitive three-year-old handicap.
The handicapper has seen fit to raise him 13lbs to a mark of 108 for his six-and-a-half length romp, while his winning time was three seconds quicker than that clocked by Al Husn in the Group 1 Nassau Stakes later in the card. His record on soft ground reads played three won three, with those successes coming by an aggregate of 12 lengths.
He remains one to keep on side granted soft ground this autumn. His stablemate Triple Time, likely to reappear at Deauville on Sunday, did us a huge favour when landing the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot at 33/1. Royal Rhyme is currently the same price for the Champion Stakes with Ladbrokes and Coral at Newmarket in October. Granted soft ground, he certainly won’t be that price if he faces the starter.
Diamond Ri (Four-year-old trained by Joe Tizzard)
Diamond Ri tanked through a Warwick Bumper on his racecourse debut to score by a long-looking thirteen lengths. The winning time was five-and-a-half seconds than the first division half an hour later.
The Tizzard yard does not have too many Bumper winners, but the yard can dare to dream over the summer that they have something to go to war with as a novice hurdler next term. His win came on soft ground, and his action and breeding suggest plenty of cut will suit going forward. Not one for the short term, but one for next season.
About Charlie McCann
Seven years as talkSPORT racing correspondent/tipster who recently spent over a decade as Director Of PR/Communications for a couple of leading igaming operators.
Failed cricketer - I regularly bore people, myself included, with the story about how I caught Imran Khan when 12th Man for Lancashire v Sussex as a youth - former National League Basketball player - once scored 72 points in a game - and lifelong and long-suffering Everton supporter.
Many of my old friends - and I mean old - would tell you I was a better footballer than a cricketer - but cricket was my first love.
Horse racing has long been my passion - ironic as I’ll never pass the vet again as my sports injuries have come back to bite - with my specialism handicap chases over jumps and 1m+ handicaps on the level.
I have met many of the great and good in the game and consider myself to have been very fortunate. Please always bet within your means and never chase your losses.
Be Lucky.
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