TONY CALVIN: TODAY’s detailed copy on all nine ITV races

1.10pm Ayr – Cromwell adds a big question mark to the Ayr opener

Classic Maestro and Aeros Luck are NRs, so we are down to just seven runners and changed each-way terms.

Firstly, Ayr have missed most of the heavy rain that was forecast at the start of the week. The ground is currently soft, good to soft in places.

There is a bit more to come though.

I spoke too soon – the ground was changed to soft, heavy in places during racing on Friday. With around 3mm more to come on Saturday morning perhaps.

It is now heavy, soft in places.

Gavin Cromwell won this valuable 2m+ handicap chase with The Other Mozzie last season, and he throws a big curveball in it this year with Le Nez Creux.

It apparently means to have a nose for a good opportunity, which could be very apt.

Now, I wouldn’t have a scooby about the merit of the 5yo’s French form, which included three successes from just eight starts, but she cost 320,000 at the sales in November and she now races for the powerful Robcour operation.

She is currently a finger-in-the-air general 6s chance, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the mare went off at half that price – or double it.

Only the wily Cromwell knows that.

It’s a pesky unknown in a race full of horses that we know all too well.

I don’t know her usual run-style but a slow and steady approach could pay dividends for her here, as all of her eight rivals like to press forward, or have done relatively recently.

I don’t have a betting opinion then, but if you forced my hand maybe Traprain Law is okay at the 8s as this preview goes live (1.36pm on Thursday). That’s the pick of the prices at this early stage (now 6s best as of Friday morning), but this is a no-go, especially with just the seven runners now.

SATURDAY MORNING BETTING UPDATE: Le Nez Creux has been trimmed into 7/2 alongside Sans Bruit and Traprain Law. The weakness in Palacio is the story here; 3s favourite yesterday, he is out to [15/2] now, despite the two NRs.

 

1.25pm Newbury – Don’t be ridiculous, Darling

Zaravina is a NR as at 10.18am (lame).

The ground at Newbury is now good, good to firm in places (as of Saturday morning).

This is one headscratcher of a 1,000 Guineas trial and, as we saw with Azleet’s 50-1 win in the Nell Gwyn, hard-fit experience can overcome the unknown, unexposed sexiness angle.

I am quite surprised to see Silenciosa here as she was withdrawn from the Newmarket race on Wednesday due to “colic”.

Anyway, we have 15 in this race, none are rated higher than 100, so you are a braver person than I if you have a strong betting opinion in this.

It’s a race in which informed stable cash, accurate or otherwise, will be playing (and they got it right, all right, with Double Rush in the 6f handicap on Wednesday), and hoping their sources are on the money.

The problem is those sources probably don’t have an accurate handle on the other 14 runners…

Touleen was [13/8] with the firms that priced this up earlier in the week – she was briefly 10s with one outfit before that disappeared – and the numbers for this race stood up exceptionally well at the overnight stage, so it is no surprise to see her now available at a touch bigger price.

Did she scope badly after the Rockfel?

Very impressive on her first two starts, she blew out when made an [11/10] chance for the Rockfel but the vibes are that she has been impressing this spring and Owen Burrows is a man to be respected with his small string. He usually operates at over 20 per cent and he is two from five this season.

His filly may not have handled Newmarket in the Rockfel (rather a worry for her Guineas backers if she didn’t – she ranges from 8s to 12s for the Classic) and we could well see the David Dickinson real deal here, but even the revised [2/1] looks short enough (and that could well disappear).

Mind you, I have just heard she scoped dirty after the Rockfel (according to her jockey Saffie Osborne on ITV on Thursday, anyway).

Latest reports are that she was “full of mucus.”

After what we saw at Newmarket on Wednesday, I genuinely couldn’t put you off any of the 15 in here – so much will be dictated by fitness – but I imagine Amo’s impressive Southwell winner Domina Ignis will be one of the straightest in the field as the owner likes results sooner rather than later (the trainer-owner combo had a winner at Newmarket on Thursday).

The first-time hood is a bit of a worry but the 300k Breeze-Up purchase, available at an early 11s, certainly looked a fair tool when beating a subsequent winner on her debut.

And 18s chance Stimulative Trip was very taking when quickening up well to win here in June, though I have no idea why we didn’t see her afterwards.

But this is far too much of a guess-up for me.

If you want proven fitness on your side the recent Kempton 1-2 of Spinning Lizzie and Ellusive Butterfly (separated by just a neck), drawn at opposite ends at 15 and 1 respectively, are the ones for you. The other 13 haven’t run for yonks.

Spinning Lizzie was available at 28s at 12.05pm on Thursday and perhaps was plenty big enough, but god knows if she will be good enough here, in truth.

I have just checked the Betfair betting as of 8am. The market has been up since midday on Thursday – and £564 has been matched….(mind you the John Porter has only done £505).

Just wow.

SATURDAY MORNING BETTING UPDATE: Touleen is into a general 6/4 (13/8 in a place) and everything else is weak apart from K Sarra, but that has only come in from 11s.

 

1.45pm Ayr – Let’s hope it is 10/1 Wayne’s world on Saturday

Califet En Vol is a NR as at 7.25am (going), followed by Al Kalila and Milcree. And now the favourite Diamond Dealer is out.

Just the 11 runners in this 3m handicap now, so traditional 1,2,3 each-way terms will apply in some quarters.

I thought this was exceptionally tricky.

That said, Diamond Dealer has an obvious chance at [4/1] for the all-powerful Dan Skelton yard – he has an incredible amount of horses in his yard (s), and I see he saw off the Willie Mullins camp for a once-raced pointer for 435k at the sales on Thursday, so there is only one way that stable is going – so it’ll surprise no-one if that cops.

I surprised myself here but I had a very small each-way bet, four places, on Big John Wayne at 10s earlier on Friday morning. That is available in two places as this race preview goes live (9s is okay, too).

You’d like to see the stable in a bit better form, though they had three recent seconds going into Friday’s racing (see updated Trainerform below – they have just had a punted 18-1 winner on Friday and followed it up with a 25-1 scorer later on the Ayr card) but he comes into this race as a mildly progressive, lightly-raced horse off a lowly rating, having been stuck up just 3lb for a pleasing Hexham win over 2m4f+ last time.

I assume the fact he bled from the nose there was something and nothing, and I like the angle of this winning ex-pointer stepping up to 3m here.

He must have had all sorts of problems to be having just his seventh start under Rules as an 8yo here, but I thought he was worth 25 notes each way at 10s.

SATURDAY MORNING BETTING UPDATE: Nibbles for Big John Wayne, I Wish You and Caughtinyourtrance but nothing much of note.

 

2pm Newbury – Is it as easy as A or Z?

I’m not sure how many people thought Albert Einstein would show up here but he does – for now at least – and in a first-time hood, too.

And he faces the 118-rated Zavateri and some promising sorts, so we will find out if he really has the minerals after being talked up so much as a juvenile.

Of course, the hype bubble was pricked on his return against older horses at the Curragh last month, but he has the headgear on to make him more tractable and races on a better surface, so perhaps he could bounce back.

But 3s is probably his price, and nothing more.

The market disagrees as he is now [5/2] and set to get shorter as at 11.42am on Friday. He is now [9/4] and that could go, too.

We will also find out if the 2s favourite Zavateri can carry over his strong juvenile form to the Classic campaign. If he does then the Group 1 National Stakes winner and Dewhust fourth is obviously going to take plenty of chinning here, but there could be some decent up-and-coming heavyweights ranged against him.

Alparslan was less than 2 lengths behind Zavateri in the Dewhurst but the [10/1] chance in here, Gonna Fly, may interest me a tad more (currently available at 19.0 to pennies).

The Ralph Beckett yard are yet to catch fire this season but his Gonna Fly looked very good when winning over 1m in soft ground here in October, in a decent time, too.

A different test here then, over 7f on tightening ground, but I’d be hopeful he can put up a decent show, up in grade.

Albeit I am not going to pay to find out.

SATURDAY MORNING BETTING UPDATE: Zavateri is currently shading Albert Einstein (out to 10/3) at the top of the market but Title Role (into 4s) and Alparslan (7s) are the two for the early money here. One NR and the betting shape of this race changes dramatically, though.

 

2.20pm Ayr – Tellherthename almost looks too obvious at 5/2. Or should that be was? – NR

We are down to just eight runners now.

Tellherthename is a NR at 7.46am (going). Gibbs Island is now out, too.

Tellherthename always had a lofty reputation and generally failed to deliver when trained by Ben Pauling and the O’Neills, but the market is firmly of the opinion that Skelton will finally coax a big win out of the 7yo here.

The horse made his debut for the champion trainer-elect in the County Hurdle last month and was a weak [18/1] chance on the show (went off 24.44 at Betfair SP) , but he was the mother of all eyecatchers in finishing a 7 1/2-length 12th there.

Go and have a look at the replay.

He absolutely tanked into the race on the wide outside turning in, was still on the bridle straightening up, only for Kielan Woods to stick to the near rail and get not one iota of daylight.

It would have been very interesting to see how he would have fared if getting a clean run through, and he comes here off the same mark in a far weaker race.

I can fully see why he is a [5/2] chance, having been available at double those odds in the ante-post market.

But there are holes you can pick in his chance at the price.

He became very disappointing for his previous connections, he may prefer slightly better ground here (not that the going will be anywhere near as deep as was forecast earlier in the week – it now is, see above) and the first-time hood possibly hints at a lary side at home, so maybe [5/2] is short enough (drifted to 10/3 at 5.45pm because of the rain, no doubt).

But Skelton has a pretty good record when applying a hood (see below) and it is quite an uncommon move for him, too.

Anyway, I suspect Tellherthename wins this high, wide and handsome after what I saw at Cheltenham. The Skelton air looked to have rejuvenated him.

You can easily make each-way cases for Tutti Quanti at [9/2] and last year’s narrow third Ooh Betty at 14s (she broke my heart there, and is 1lb lower here) , but I haven’t decided how I will play this race yet.

Incidentally, the firm offering four places on those two are [7/2] and 10s…

I’ll be back on Saturday morning, and I’ll shit or get off the pot then (C/O Line Of Duty).

SATURDAY MORNING BETTING UPDATE: Tellherthename being taken out has obviously distorted any market moves here, so nothing much to report. Tutti Quanti is a weakish 11/4 in the reformed market.

2.35pm Newbury – Who will go forward here?

Pride Of Arras is a NR as at 6.59pm on Friday (bruised foot).

The first thing that struck me about the seven-runner John Porter was the absence of a confirmed front-runner – well, it would do, as the first thing I do before assessing any contest is to compile the pace map.

The 116-rated Convergent (beaten a short-head in the German Derby) was ridden aggressively in his early 2025 campaign before they reined it in a bit, so maybe they will revert to pressing tactics here, with the lead seemingly there for the taking.

Maybe not, though.

The early Thursday betting had him between 15/8 and 11/4 for this race and it is easy to make a strong case for him, for all he carries a 5lb penalty (Phantom Flight carries a 3lb penalty).

He was thought to be over the top and to have hated the testing ground when disappointing at Munich in November, and his earlier Group race wins probably mark Convergent down as the one to beat here.

But not by much.

This doesn’t look an attractive betting medium with just seven runners, five of whom make their seasonal debuts (Lion’s Pride and Phantom Flight have been pot-hunting in the Middle East), but Voltigeur winner Pride Of Arras surely has a lot of upside as a 4yo.

But I wouldn’t even rule the 103-rated, 20s chance Tenability out of the winning equation here, especially if Cieren Fallon takes the bull by the horns and goes on.

He has a lot to find on form, so I imagine Wily William Haggas will be alive to the possibility of utilising this tactical angle to try to bridge the current class gap.

SATURDAY MORNING BETTING UPDATE:  Pride Of Arras is obviously a big NR here but initial favourite Convergent is weak at the moment, out to a general 4s and 9/2 in a place. Nibbles for Tenability. Lions Pride marginally heads the market at 5/2.

 

2.55pm Ayr – What’s not to like about Love each-way at 11/2? The ground maybe….

Starlyte is a NR as at 8.04am (going).

Not many firms priced this up at the five-day stage and perhaps we found out why when the [5/2] ante-post favourite Kateira wasn’t confirmed for the race on Thursday morning.

In her absence, Skelton’s substitute Twistthenightaway – the manner in which he tends to dominate handicaps at this type of meeting (every meeting in fact) really is quite something – and World Of Fortunes vie for favouritism at [10/3].

This looks a very winnable mares’ 3m+ handicap hurdle for the money, and I thought Love Of Neymore could be the answer at a general [11/2], each way (the firm offering four places are 9/2).

Love the headgear angle too – if not necessarily the rain

Robbie Llewellyn gets the best out of his small string – 15 winners from 99 runners this season – and he puts first-time cheekpieces on his mare here.

Now, he is 0 from 8 with that angle but a bit more digging shows that four of those finished second (see below), including two at 33s and 11s.

Love Of Neymore has run three solid races since winning under similar conditions at Chepstow in December and hopefully she will travel more kindly in the headgear than she did at Ludlow last time.

If she does, I expect her to be to the fore here and a reproduction of that Chepstow win from a dual subsequent scorer (and one who is now rated 17lb higher), or indeed her following two runs in defeat at Cheltenham and Windsor off higher marks, will see her go very close.

There may be a bit of attitude creeping into her game (hence the pieces probably), but I’ll give her the benefit of doubt in a race that certainly lacks depth for a winning pot of 23k+.

I am not sure Friday’s rain is ideal, though.

SATURDAY MORNING BETTING UPDATE: Twistthenightaway is into [6/4] – maybe the biggest shortener of the morning so far – but my fancy Love Of Neymore is out to 9s (and 12s win-only). I don’t think the unexpected rain is ideal for her, but I have had a little press-up on the exchange and fixed-odds regardless.

 

3.10pm Newbury – Cogitating further on the Spring Cup…

Al Mubhir is a NR as at 10.14am (going), as is Jimmy Speaking at 12.08pm.

So the Lincoln was hard to solve, was it?

Hold my beer (my £8.15 Birra Moretti beer, if you are Beverley racecourse…) , said the 26-runner Spring Cup.

The Lincoln 1-2, separated by a nose, of Urban Lion and Rogue Diplomat return here – the Donny seventh and ante-post favourite for this race, Eternal Force, wasn’t confirmed on Thursday morning – and both obviously have leading claims at top prices of [9/1] and [15/2] respectively.

This is clearly a hugely competitive race, and Back In Black marginally heads the betting at [7/1]. Correction, 6s as of Friday morning.

I made the case for Cogitate at 25s on Tuesday, and he is 22s best now he has been confirmed.

That still looks okay, but he is 28s+ in an illiquid exchange market on Friday morning. It’s the kind of race where the win-only exchange price is going to be a lot bigger than the fixed-odds version once the market beds in on Saturday afternoon.

He was entered in a 7f handicap at Newmarket on Thursday, with Ryan Moore booked (never a bad sign of a horse’s well-being), but they have opted to come here instead. It looks a better fit or him, as well as being a meaty enough pot.

He was seventh to Ebts Guard and Urban Lion in this race last year on his seasonal reappearance, not ideally positioned throughout, but he has had a run this time around and a decent one at that, finishing second to a well-backed winner at Kempton last month. He was upped 1lb for that, which was fair enough.

He probably doesn’t have much in hand of his current mark of 88 – he has struggled off similar marks in the past – but he is in form and fit, he is a course winner for whom 1m on decent ground looks optimum.

I’ve already got involved in a very small way and I will look for back-up now, which you will need in a race of this depth.

I went this way and that. Tony Montana at 25s doesn’t look a bad price, Stem at 14s looks fairly handicapped, and I have been waiting on Linwood to come out for a while now (he has been well entered up but not confirmed) but I finally landed on Old Cock.

But I am going to let the exchange market settle down before backing him win-only tomorrow, as I suspect he is going to be huge there.

I have a suspicion this run may be a means-to-an-end for Old Cock, but I am going to throw a few quid on him win-only regardless, and I think we will get much bigger than the current price (he is 28s top price, fixed odds).

He was bought out of Ed Bethell’s yard for what looked a cheap 26,000 guineas in October and he has his first start for Anthony Brittain here, with a Mrs C Brittain (presumably a relative) the owner.

He finished last of 22 in the 2025 Lincoln on his reappearance last season but really impressed next time out when winning as a punted [9/2] chance at York (he also won second time up in 2024).

It is fair to say he got two average rides in defeat on the Knavesmire afterwards, and yes I backed him (the handicapper only dropped him 1lb for those runs, which was understandable in the circumstances) and I reckon he has a decent handicap in him this season.

Whether that is again at York next month is the worry, but I suspect I may get at least 50s+ win-only on Saturday, and I will pay to find out if I can.

He was heading towards three figures on Friday evening, so I may not have to pay too much to find out…(now 160.0!).

SATURDAY MORNING BETTING UPDATE: Shout is currently the strongest at the top of the market, but Stem (into 9s) and Tony Montana (into 12s from 25 – but 16s+ win-only) are more notable movers in my book. Urban Lion is weak at 14s. Not as weak as Old Cock, who has hit “One Hundred And Eighty”, and is now 120.0.

I’m in – and I’ll look to get my losses back at York next month!

 

3.35pm Ayr – 12/1 Chasingouttheblues has a very attractive profile for this test

Just the 16 in here now.

Road To Home is a NR as at 8.49pm on Friday (going), followed by Magna Sam at 7.22am (going). As are Ask Brewster at 7.47am (going), Our Power and Montregard.

I couldn’t put you off Promontory at 20s fixed-odds (managed to get a bit on myself) , or Famous Bridge at 50s+ win-only on the exchange once that market firms up on Saturday, but all roads still lead to Chasingouttheblues for me in the Scottish National.

I managed to get a score on at an average of 19.47 earlier in the week, and I think he remains a very fair bet if you can access the current 12s (available in two places) and 11s , each way, about him in the fixed-odds environment (get the best price and place terms your accounts allow – only you know that, but there are five and six places out there).

What I said about him in Tuesday’s ante-post piece pretty much holds true – but there has been a further positive since.

Trainer Mark Walford was in borderline poor form at the start of the week but he banished those fears with a treble at Ripon on Thursday with winners at [14/1], [9/2] and [3/1].

Those pesky squirrels weren’t at it again, were they?

Walford is of the belief this improving 7yo is just the type for this race.

Indeed, this is what he said after his Carlisle win over 3m+ last time.

He said: “Chasingouttheblues loves a horse to aim at. He wants far further and he’s a Nationals horse. We might have a crack at the Scottish National if there’s a bit of give, he wouldn’t run on quick ground. He’s improving. This track suited him better than last time, when he wasn’t quite right.”

I like his form trajectory, the grinding style of his win last time and he has the profile to shine here off just a 4lb higher mark. And hopefully these extreme stamina test will see him step forward even more, with Friday’s rain not an issue.

Granted, the Carlisle runner-up didn’t advertise the form at Haydock on Wednesday (was last of the eight finishers), but that is not going to deter me from a bigger press-up than the aforementioned score. Any double figures about him look attractive to me.

SATURDAY MORNING BETTING UPDATE: Kim Roque is still the favourite at 5s but Chasingouttheblues is into 11/2 best and Promontory is now a mere 8s. There are 3 NRs, though.

NEWBURY

GOING: Good, good to firm in places

GOING STICK: 5.0 Saturday, 6am

Ratio (80:20). Soil moisture average = 40.6% (updated today)

Rails: 7f & 5f bends will be moved for Saturday, with a cut away into the straight.

• 2:35pm: Race distance is now +14y to 1m 4f 14y

• 4:20pm: Race distance is now +14y to 1m 3f 14y

• 4:55pm: Race distance is now +14y to 1m 2f 14y

Stalls: 1m2f, 1m3f & 1m4f = inside. Remainder (straight) = centre.

Saturday course update: Less than half a mm in drizzle last night. Forecast: Heavy dew, sunny with patchy cloud. No wind forecast for today with highs of 15C.

Watering:  8-12mm applied Monday. 3mm applied to the pull up this morning (Friday).

Yr.no forecast (6.30am Saturday): Dry, sunny and 14 degrees

 

AYR (now heavy, soft in places)

GOING: Heavy, soft in places

GOING STICK: 6.3, Saturday 7.20am

Rails:  Friday Chase Bends Inner Line Hurdle Bends In 12yds Saturday Chase Bends Inner Line Hurdle Bends Inner Line

Saturday course update: Rain. 5 mm past 24hrs (Dry Since Yesterday Afternoon, Showers Until About 9am) Sat: Showers Early, Then Mainly Dry Day, 14c

Yr.no forecast (6.30am Saturday);  3.3mm Saturday

 

FIRST-TIME HEADGEAR STATS

Kevin Philippart De Foy hood; Domina Ignis, 1.25pm Newbury; 2-13 (since 2021)

Ed Walker hood; Princess Petrol, 1.25pm Newbury; 5-48 (2011)

Aidan O’Brien hood; Albert Einstein, 2pm Newbury; 14-69 (2013) 

Amanda Perrett hood; Samuel Colt, 3.10pm Newbury; 4-44 (2011)

Jennie Candlish visor; Classic Maestro, 1.10pm Ayr; 13-56 (2009) – NR

S Crawford cheekpieces; Al Kalila, 1.45pm Ayr; 2-31 (2017)

Faye Bramley visor; Walking On Air, 1.45pm Ayr; 0-2

Dan Skelton hood; Tellherthename, 2.20pm Ayr; 10-47 (2013) – NR

Alastair Ralph blinkers; Holly Hartingo, 2.55pm Ayr; 0-14 (2019)

Robbie Llewellyn cheekpieces; Love Of Neymore, 2.55pm Ayr 0-8 (2022) four seconds at 33-1, 11-1, 4-1 and 4-1

Ms Margaret Mullins cheekpieces; Blaze The Way, 3.35pm Ayr; 1-13 (2016)

Sam Thomas blinkers; Our Power, 3.35pm Ayr; 2-7 (2019) – NR

 

PACE MAPS (manually assessed) and NRs

1.10pm Ayr: Sans Bruit, Matata?, Calico (prom), Traprain Law, Palacio, Moudan –  Classic Maestro and Aeros Luck are NRs (down to seven runners)

1.25pm Newbury: Ellusive Butterfly (drawn 1), Spinning Lizzie? (15), Splish Splash (9) – Zaravina is a NR

1.45pm Ayr: Caughtinyourtrance, Big John Wayne – Califet En Vol and Al Kalila and Milcree are NRs. As is Diamond Dealer.

2pm Newbury: Alparslan (8), Aqpan (2), Title Role (1)

2.20pm Ayr: Tutti Quanti,  Ooh Betty, Welsh Charger – Tellherthename is a NR, as is Gibbs Island

2.35pm Newbury: No obvious pace – Convergent (1) has made it in past; Tenability (prom) – Pride Of Arras NR

2.55pm Ayr: Holly Hartingo, Game Colours, Love Of Neymore, Fox’s Fancy (prom), Princess Keri – Starlyte is a NR

3.10pm Newbury: Linwood (20), Urban Lion (26), Classic (9) – Al Mubhir is a NR, as is Jimmy Speaking

3.35pm Ayr: Quebecois, King Of Answers (prom)?, Isaac Des Obeaux (prom),  Stolen Silver (prom), Collectors Item (prom),  Kap Vert (prom)  –Road To Home and Magna Sam NRs, as are Ask Brewster, Our Power and Montregard.

 

TRAINERFORM – (manually assessed)

Superb: Nicky Richards (7 winners from last 10 runners going into Friday’s racing – two pulled up yesterday, mind you)

Good: Tom Clover (very small sample but very good), Andrew Balding (winners on Tuesday and Wednesday, and on Friday),  John and Thady Gosden (two winners on Wednesday, and another double on Thursday, and among winners on Friday too),  Kevin Philippart De Foy (small sample – fair/good, and a winner on Thursday),  Roger Varian (two winners; six runners) , Dan Skelton, Paul Nicholls (winner on Friday), Jennie Candlish, Sandy Thomson (small sample), Hugo Palmer, Tom Lacey, Nick Scholfield, Donald McCain (another winner, at 5-1, on Thursday), Simon and Ed Crisford, Nicky Henderson (15-2 winner on Friday), Mark Walford (14-1, 9-2 and 3-1 winners at Ripon on Thursday)

Fair: William Haggas (not great for him though a 14-1 winner on Wednesday and another on Friday, so beginning to get rolling), Karl Burke (winner on Monday, and winners on Wednesday and Thursday), Aidan O’Brien (fair/good – winners but plenty of runners), Richard Hannon, Richard Hughes (15-2 winner on Tuesday and narrow second on Wednesday), James Owen (winner on Friday),  Kevin Ryan,  Gavin Cromwell, Newland and Insole (2yo winner on  Friday), Eve Johnson Houghton (13-2 winner on Friday), Ed Walker (winner on Friday), Ian Williams, Mike Murphy, James Fanshawe, George Boughey, Greenall and Guerriero (fair/moderate), Anthony Honeyball, Hobbs and White, Willie Mullins (fair/moderate), Georgina Nicholls (fair/moderate), Jamie Snowden (fair/good – odds-on winners on Thursday and Friday), Joseph O’Brien, Jonjo and AJ O’Neill, Richard and Peter Fahey, George Scott, Michael Herrington, Ralph Beckett (11-1 winner on Friday), William Knight (impressive 13-2 winner of the last at Newmarket on Thursday), Ewan Whillans (fair/good), Charles Hills, Faye Bramley, Russell and Scudamore (25-1 and 18-1 winners on Friday), Jack Channon (8-1 winner on Friday evening, as well as three seconds on the day),

Moderate: Harry Charlton (couple of placed horses on Wednesday),  Muir and Grassick (small sample so probably harsh),   Nigel and Willy Twiston-Davies,  Ciaran Murphy, Katie Scott, Antony Brittain (but last runner was only beaten a head at 16s), Warren Greatrex (welcome 4-1 winner on Friday then), Alastair Ralph, Adrian Keatley, S R B Crawford (runner-up at Ayr on Friday)

Don’t know: David Menuisier (had Wood Ditton runner-up),  Sam Thomas, Mrs C Williams, Amanda Perrett (one 40-1 winner; four runners), Chris Dwyer, Chris Grant (two seconds; four runners), Ben Clarke (one 10-1 winner; two runners), Hughie Morrison, J W Kenny, Susan Corbett, Robbie Llewellyn, Mags Mullins, Ms S J Connell, James Moffatt, Brian Meehan (two placed horses; five runners), Owen Burrows (one 7-4 winner; two runners)