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Latest Profit & Loss Figures
Five winning days produced a healthy profit of +£11.50 for the week ending Sunday, 5 April.
March 2026 ended with a significant profit of +£50.17.
We threw a couple of points away on Saturday with a poor each-way recommendation and bumped into a well-backed Christian Williams gamble at Bangor-on-Dee midweek when we had a double-figure priced second. That said, another good week.
Latest Profit & Loss for the week ending Sunday, 5 April, 2026
- Cumulative profit since August 1, 2022: +£1,557.92
- Week ending Sunday, 5 April: +£10.37
- April 2026 to date: +£11.40
- March 2026 ended: +£50.17
- Year 2026 to date: +£167.71
- 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)
Charlie McCann’s Tips - Thursday, 9 April
1:45pm Aintree - Selma De Vary
The opening Grade 1 juvenile hurdle looks a cracker and, on a day when the three other Grade 1's on the card see a maximum of sixteen runners go to post, there is a 10-runner field for the Randox Grand National curtain-raiser.
Willie Mullins has saddled the winner twice in the last three years – Zenta in 2023 and Murcia last year - with a mare who had been beaten at the Cheltenham Festival, and I hope that trend continues with SELMA DE VARY even though the selection finished behind Maestro Conti (second) and Minella Study (third) at the Festival.
The filly runs in the Rich & Suzanne Richi colours and was posted wide throughout at Cheltenham, pulling Paul Townend's arms out. She looked sure to fall in a hole – especially after losing an argument with the runner-up as the pair went for the stands' rail going to the last – but was only beaten just over 3l in fourth behind stablemate Apolon De Charnie.
She had run another eye-catching race on stable debut when splitting Narciso Has – missed Cheltenham – and Mange Tout in a Leopardstown Grade 1. The latter reopposes today and also missed the Festival and he will appreciate the forecast good ground and comes here fresher than most.
That said, Selma De Vary looks the type who will relish this easier test and, if she ever learns to drop her head, she could be something special. The hope is that Paul Townend does not feel he has to go six wide in this smaller field. Mullins had nine runners in the Triumph but relies solely on the mare this afternoon.
Recommendation: Selma De Vary - 11/4 with bet365
2:20pm Aintree - Koktail Divin
Arkle third Lulamba has looked in need of a step up in distance since finishing runner-up in last year's Triumph Hurdle, and he finally gets his chance today in the Grade 1 2m4f Manifesto Novices' Chase.
I thought he looked good when winning the Grade 1 Henry VIII at Sandown back in December, but the form is not worth a great deal, while he made a significant error two out, he did finish almost five lengths behind Kargese when third in the Arkle last time.
Lulamba is a best price of 4/7, whereas KOKTAIL DIVIN is 3/1, and there is too much of a disparity between the pair, given the latter will relish the drop back in distance, having palpably failed to stay three miles in the Brown Advisory last time.
Henry De Bromhead's six-year-old had previously made all to beat the 139-rated Kiss Will – would have finished second in the Irish National had he not come down two out – by twenty-one lengths at Leopardstown over Christmas when jumping superbly.
He was not as good as Lulamba over hurdles – but did finish a 5l fourth here in a Grade 1 Novice Hurdle last year – but this is a different discipline, and he gets the vote. He doesn't have to lead, but Darragh O'Keefe will ensure a decent test at his optimum trip.
Recommendation: Koktail Divin - 3/1 with bet365
2:55pm Aintree - Jango Baie
Spillane's Tower has been declared for the Grade 1 3m1f Bowl, but he could still miss the race if he is declared for the National on Wednesday morning, given there is rain forecast for Saturday.
JANGO BAIE was beaten just over a length by Impaire Et Passe in the Manifesto twelve months ago, but this additional five furlongs will surely play to the strengths of the selection. Nicky Henderson's seven-year-old deserves to win a big one this term, having been beaten less than a length in the King George before finishing second in the Gold Cup to an imperious Gaelic Warrior last time.
He faces nothing of that calibre today, although Impaire Et Passe was never going in the Ryanair last time and was pulled up on the second circuit. This flatter track clearly suits, and he didn't have as hard a race as the selection, but her has never struck me as a stayer.
He only got as far as the fifth when brought down at the fifth in the Punchestown Champion Novice last spring on his only previous run at today's 3m1f trip. He travelled supremely well when winning here last year, but Jango Baie was running him down after the last, and I expect Nico De Boinville to be positive on the Gold Cup runner-up.
Henderson has expressed reservations about Cheltenham taking its toll, but he has only had three runs so far this season, and he has had almost four weeks to get over the Gold Cup.
Recommendation: Jango Baie - 11/10 with Betfred
3:30pm Aintree - Unexpected Party
I took a bit of the 66/1 (each-way) that was available on Take All earlier in the week, as I couldn't watch it win at that price, given how well he travelled in the Cheltenham Foxhunters (3m2f+) last month before failing to get up the hill.
That said, he has little or no chance of reversing previous Haydock form with UNEXPECTED PARTY on the revised terms and realistically, only three horses can win with the Cheltenham 1-2 Barton Snow and Its On The Line back for more in a top-class renewal.
I recommended and backed Its On The Line at the Festival, and he ran a cracker under Derek O'Connor. He made a move from midfield into the front rank on the second circuit and led four out but could never shake off the attentions of Barton Snow, who travelled and jumped like the best horse in the race save for blundering at the last.
He was still able to get back up and beat Its On The Line a neck, and he promises to be well served by today's drop back down in distance. Its On The Line won the corresponding race two years ago – having finished second at Cheltenham – and is the one of the big three with experience of the National fences, but I told a friend of mine that Unexpected Party would win the Aintree Foxhunters' as soon as he crossed the line at Haydock in February. The hope is that his freshness will be the key.
The grey is likely to be ridden forward by Heidi Palin, and she has to get her fractions right on the 11-year-old, who is two years older than the Festival 1-2. A wonderful renewal, although I would be surprised if the winner did not come out of the big three, unless the unique fences take their toll.
Recommendation: Unexpected Party - 4/1 with bet365
4:05pm Aintree - The New Lion (Nap)
Dan and Harry Skelton earned many plaudits for landing two long-term gambles at the Cheltenham Festival, but what the hell were they doing with THE NEW LION (Nap) in the Champion Hurdle? Held up four wide in a slowly run nine-runner race last month on a horse who won the 2m5f Grade 1 Turners' Novice Hurdle twelve months ago. It was the worst ride/tactics of the Festival races yet was not mentioned by the fawning racing media, save the excellent Johny Dineen in his Festival Up The Ante wash up with the equally brilliant David Jennings.
I asked in the weeks running up to the race where the pace was coming from in the Champion Hurdle and argued connections should run a pacemaker, but it all went pear-shaped on the day. The step back up in distance will suit, and it seems likely that he will be campaigned as a stayer next term. Note Tom Segal has recommended him for the Stayers' Hurdle in 2027 – although I now think I have just made that up!
I was surprised/staggered to see The New Lion's stablemate Kabral Du Mathan miss today's Aintree Hurdle, given how well he travelled in the Stayers' Hurdle last month. This 2m4f trip looks his optimum, and this is the perfect race for him. Sincere apologies if he is injured, but he was entered at the six-day stage, and Grade 1's over this intermediate trip do not come along every week.
As it is, Champion Hurdle second Brighterdaysahead is vying for favouritism with the selection, and this intermediate trip promises also to see her in a better light. An impressive winner over course and distance two years ago, she will be a tough nut to crack, but I expect The New Lion to reverse the form as long as connections do not try to get too clever. Note there is no guaranteed pace in the race, although Potters Charm has led in the past.
The chief threat is likely to come from El Fabiolo, who will relish conditions and has looked a happier horse back over hurdles this term. He was thrashed by Brighterdaysahead on his penultimate start, but two miles on heavy ground was never going to suit.
Recommendation: The New Lion (Nap) - 2/1 with William Hill
4:40pm Aintree - Stencil & Inthepocket
Palamon did us a favour when winning at Bangor over 2m4f back on a sound surface last week and, although this is a huge step up in grade, he is no forlorn hope with Harry Atkins taking off a valuable 7lbs. He will have the race run to suit, and I am not overly concerned with the drop back to the minimum distance. He could have been called the winner after two fences at Bangor, and he is Dan Skelton's sole representative in the race.
I will be surprised if market leader Sans Bruit can win the race for a third successive year despite being just 3lbs higher than when scoring twelve months ago. Highlands Legacy is another to consider, but there is plenty of pace in the race, and I have backed two of the five McManus-owned runners in the race, STENCIL and INTHEPOCKET, in the hope that the race is set up for a closer.
Stencil pulled like a train in the Jack Richards over 2m4f at the Cheltenham Festival last month and never gave himself a chance of getting home over the distance. Sean Bowen – who remains without a Cheltenham Festival winner – takes over in the plate, although the selection must race from the same mark today.
Trained in France by Noel George & Amanda Zetterholm, yet campaigned exclusively in Britain since November 2024 – yes, it makes zero sense – Stencil impressed when scoring at Chepstow on his penultimate start at the minimum distance, and he should have the race run to suit, although he has been kept on the same mark despite being beaten 25l last time.
Inthepocket returns to the stage of his finest hour when he won the Grade 1 Novice Hurdle here back in 2023. He was just creeping into the race when falling two out in the Grand Annual last time, this good ground will suit, and the hope is that he can make his move on the long run between the last two fences. He has 12st to carry, but he is the best horse in the race, and I thought he would have gone close had he not come a cropper at Cheltenham.
Recommendations: Stencil - 17/2 with bet365 & Inthepocket - 7/1 with William Hill
*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 March
Anniversary (Four-year-old trained by Ralph Beckett)
Blindedbythelights has form figures since winning at Newbury in June 2023 of 2-2-4-2-2-2-2, and his handicap mark has risen from sixty-eight to a mark in the early nineties, given that he finished second at Kempton from a mark of eighty-eight in the Queen’s Prize at the end of March.
His profile hardly strikes you as being one to have onside going forward, but he is lightly raced for one of his age, and I have always thought there was more to come from the flashy gelding.
He was very well supported at Kempton, however, whereas Anniversary was weak in the market with blinkers reapplied by Ralph Beckett, and the jury is still out as to whether he truly stays two miles.
The stable’s inmates ran well in defeat on the opening weekend of the turf season, and this four-year-old has not won since beating the subsequent Goodwood Cup/St Leger winner Scandinavia at Newmarket on his racecourse debut as a juvenile.
There is a 1m6f handicap at Newmarket on the Sunday of the Guineas weekend at the beginning of May and that would strike me as a suitable target for the gelded son of Sea The Moon who may have races such as the Copper Horse Stakes at Royal Ascot as a mid-summer target although he would have to win to get into the race as the bottom weight was rated ninety-five last year.
At the time of writing, Anniversary is rated ninety-one, but you would imagine he will be eased at least 1lb for his Kempton run. He will need to win to sneak into the bottom of the handicap if the Royal meeting is a realistic target.
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.
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.
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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