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Despite winners at 8/1 and 7/4 on Saturday, a minor loss of -£3.50 on the week, mainly down to blank days on Wednesday and Thursday.
- P/L for the week ending Sunday, 29 March: -£3.50
- P/L for the year 2026 to date: +£68.60
- P/L for the year 2025: +£22.38
- P/L for the year 2024: +£200.42
- P/L since 1st September 2022: +£569.26
Alan Kelly's Tips - Tuesday, 31 March
Ground on the soft side of good is expected for the jumps cards at Bangor-On-Dee and Newcastle on Tuesday afternoon.
2:45pm Bangor - Slim Marvel
Previously with trainer Andrew Slattery in Ireland, the Kilbeggan maiden hurdle winner of over two years ago, SLIM MARVEL, joined the stable of Rebecca Curtis at the start of the year, the daughter of Masked Marvel finishing down the field at Chepstow a short time later. With that run under her belt and upped in trip to 3m, the mare improved significantly to finish a close second at Ffos Las earlier this month behind a bang-in-form horse in Kayley Woollacott’s Sparkling Duke.
Talented 5lb claimer Toby McCain-Mitchell retains the ride this afternoon and off a 4lb higher mark the mare is fancied to go one better. Slim Marvel ran some fine races in defeat for previous connections last year, in particular when 3rd of 16, beaten a little over three lengths, in a 3m 1f Kilbeggan handicap in the autumn.
Today’s opposition looks poor to say the least, best of which may be Laura Horsfall’s top weight Escort’kheops and Dan Skelton’s ex Paul Nolan-trained Coumeenoole, who is surely better than his four runs so far for the stable would suggest.
Recommendation: Slim Marvel - 7/2 with bet365
4:30pm Newcastle - Ceolwulf (Nap)
Following a couple of promising first efforts over fences, the second when runner-up to Marty McFly, now unbeaten in four races this year, Martin Todhunter’s Didntgotwenty made it third time lucky when recording a comfortable victory at Musselburgh last month. Despite now racing off a 9lb higher mark, Sean Quinlan’s mount looks sure to head the betting for this two and a half mile handicap chase.
While the lightly-raced seven-year-old is respected, preference is for Fionn McSharry’s CEOLWULF (Nap), the mount of James Bowen. After winning over today’s trip at Warwick 12 months ago, the Fame And Glory gelding almost certainly found the extra half a mile testing his stamina when weakening to finish fifth on that course a month later.
Back down in distance, Ceolwulf was far from disgraced in finishing second to a couple of in-form horses in Bravethewaves and Largy Force on his two starts this season. Runner-up in a Bumper on this course in 2021, the 10-year-old grey can go one better off today’s mark of 93.
Recommendation: Ceolwulf (Nap) - 10/3 with bet365
5:35pm Newcastle - Lady Babs (Each-Way)
At the age of 12, the Andrew Crook-trained LADY BABS (Each-Way) is certainly no spring chicken, and by far and a way the old lady of the party in this Class 5 conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle. The daughter of Malinas showed her best form for almost a year when falling at the final hurdle at Carlisle earlier in the month after just being headed by eventual winner Queen Roslyn.
That was a big improvement on the mares’ four previous efforts since winning three races at Carlisle and one at Market Rasen around this time last year. Those victories came off marks of 92, 95, 100 and 105, all with today’s experienced conditional Conor Rabbitt in the saddle. Now rated just 96, and back on ground which should suit, Lady Babs is more than capable of getting the better of her younger and very modest rivals, in a race which won’t take much winning.
Donald McCain’s top weight Roarin’ Success has had a wind op since weakening to finish fourth in a Catterick maiden last month and this dual winner on the Flat for Harry Charlton is one of the few runners with the potential to improve upon her three runs over hurdles to date. Lizzie Quinlan’s Natzor was beaten just half a length at odds of 100/1 in a Flat handicap on this course earlier in the month and worth noting for any market support, while Musselburgh winner Newport and Book Of Secrets look best of the rest.
Recommendation: Lady Babs (Each-Way) - 9/1 with bet365 (4 places)
Grand National (Antepost) - Final Orders (Each-Way)
With less than a month to go before the 2026 renewal of Aintree’s Randox Grand National, a good time to try and pinpoint a bit of early value in the ante-post market for the world’s most famous steeplechase. At the 50/1 currently available with William Hill about Gavin Cromwell’s Final Orders, I think last week’s Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase winner is way overpriced for the extended 4m 2f test of jumping and stamina.
Currently standing at number 40 in the pecking-order and with a maximum permitted field of 34, the 10-year-old is not guaranteed his place, but with several doubtful runners higher up in the handicap I will be surprised if the Camelot gelding ends up as one of the reserves. A greater doubt revolves around possible ground conditions at the Merseyside racecourse on April 11th, as Final Orders needs decent going to produce his best form.
With current top weight I Am Maximus (winner in 2024) a certain runner barring accidents, Final Orders has a lovely racing weight of just 10st 5lb. Five of the first 12 winners of the race in the 21st century were 10-year-olds, and while Cheltenham's cross country chase has only been going since 2005, dual Grand National winner Tiger Roll won that unique three miles five and a half furlong contest in both of the years he was victorious at Aintree.
Of Final Orders’ seven successes over fences, five came over distances ranging from two to three miles, showing the kind of versatility needed to win a race requiring both pace and stamina in equal measures (also a winner over 1m 4f on the flat). If conditions are similar at Aintree to those of last week (good to soft), a reproduction of his comfortable victory over favourite Favori De Champdou would give the selection a much better chance of emulating Tiger Roll than his current odds would indicate.
Recommendation: Final Orders (Each-Way) - 50/1 with Unibet (4 places)
* Betting odds correct at the time of publication. All odds are subject to changes.
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About Alan Kelly
A passionate follower of horse racing for over 50 years, Alan has enjoyed a 40-year career in the betting industry, 28 of which he spent running his betting shop as an owner/manager.
A successful punter with a keen eye for value, Alan has had many betting highlights, including a Scoop 6 win and has shown a consistent profit in the battle with bookmakers since joining Freebets.com in 2008.
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