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Latest Profit & Loss Figures
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 - Monday, 30 March
The 2026 turf Flat season in Britain may have started at Doncaster on Saturday afternoon, but Monday’s action on the level takes place on the all-weather at Kempton Park in the afternoon and Wolverhampton in the evening. Jumps racing comes courtesy of the card at Ludlow, where watering is taking place on ground described as good.
2:27pm Ludlow - King’s Scholar
An informative novices hurdle to start Ludlow’s card, the field of 8 headed by previous winners Jimbo Sport from the Ben Pauling stable and Fergal O’Brien’s Snatch A Glance (both rated 116), both carrying a 7lb penalty for their respective victories at Newcastle and over today’s course and distance.
Preference is for the mount of 3lb claimer Callum Richards, who was far from disgraced when finishing third behind subsequent Grade 2 Dovecote winner Klub De Reve at Kempton on Boxing Day. Archie Watson’s Scarlet Moon is far from out of it in receipt of weight from all but one of his rivals, but on his first start for trained Olly Murphy, the five-year-old KING'S SCHOLAR is fancied to make a winning debut over the smaller obstacles.
A winner on the Flat at Catterick, Southwell (all-weather) and Hamilton, the Awtaad gelding, rated 83, is the type to make up into a decent hurdler and is now with a trainer (previously with Ed Walker) who does so well with his acquisitions from the Flat. Champion jockey Sean Bowen takes the ride, and with the 7lb he receives from the Pauling and O’Brien runners, King’s Scholar can open his account over hurdles at the first attempt.
Recommendation: King’s Scholar - 5/1 with bet365
3:27pm Ludlow - Jackomy (Nap)
The Sam Allwood stable is in decent form at the moment with two winners from their last 4 runners and Little Pi looks sure to go well in the hands of 5lb claimer Toby McCain-Mitchell, the eight-year-old possibly making his challenge a little too early when weakening to finish third on this course last month as the 6/4 favourite.
The Dunaden gelding has been running consistently well all season, but now runs off a mark of 91 and may lack the potential of the Neil Mulholland-trained JACKOMY (Nap), who is expected to take plenty of beating in this Class 5 contest under a 7lb penalty for his victory at Wincanton last week.
Stepping up to 2m 4f and on good ground for the first time, Conor O’ Farrell’s mount was backed into 11/10 favouritism against his 11 rivals, before running out a ready winner after travelling strongly throughout the race. The son of Doyen had shown only modest promise prior to that win, suggesting that there is a lot more to come from a horse who will be having just his 7th career start.
Oakley’s Way and D’Jo Dela Barriere have chances on their best form, but neither possess the potential of the selection.
Recommendation: Jackomy (Nap) - 5/6 with bet365
3:57pm Ludlow - Beachcomber
Apart from Ben Pauling’s top weight Your Darling, there are doubts surrounding the other five runners for this 3m handicap chase. Nicky Richards’ The Kalooki Kid hasn’t really progressed from a very promising novice chasing campaign last season, Danny McMenamin’s mount last seen finishing 6th of 8 in Musselburgh’s Scottish Champion Chase on the last day of January.
The Bailey/Nicholls-trained Destroytheevidence has looked far from straightforward on his last three starts, pulled-up in Doncaster’s Grimthorpe Chase last month after appearing to take no interest in the proceedings. The veteran Annsam has failed to complete the course on his last two outings, while Lounge Lizard was beaten 85 lengths on his first start for Sarah Humphrey.
Your Darling on the other hand has run with credit in competitive handicaps at Kempton and Ascot this year, and on those two efforts is clearly the one they all have to beat. Ben Jones’ mount has been well found in the market however, in which case at a much bigger price it could be worth chancing a return to form for the O’Neill’s BEACHCOMBER.
Eighteen lengths behind Your Darling at Kempton after jumping out to his right at several fences, the eight-year-old meets Your Darling on 7lb better terms today, and if able to reproduce his best form of last season, including a 10 length victory at Kempton’s Christmas meeting, the mount of Jonjo O’Neill Jr is more than capable of going close.
Recommendation: Beachcomber - 15/2 with bet365
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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