By Tony Calvin - 30 March 2026
It looks like bookmakers are falling out of love with providing midweek ante-post markets.
Hardly any have bothered with the four Saturday ITV races at Haydock, as at 11.53am on Tuesday.
To be fair, a few more have got involved with the Musselburgh racing (five ITV contests), but certainly not all.
I just don’t think there is much punter demand any more, but I am looking now.
All double entries have been updated, to take into account Thursday’s fields.
The ITV Racing website has not been updated since last week (since March 25th in fact, which is pisspoor), so I’ve taken the Racing Post as gospel as regards what is on the channel this week.
The Musselburgh races are not overflowing with entries at the five-day stage (when pitched against the maximum field sizes anyway), but you’d hope the fields will hold up.
These 3yo handicaps are traditionally hugely tricky to solve at this time of the season, but everyone affords William Haggas the utmost respect and it is no surprise to see his Crown Office head the betting at 4s for this 1m contest.
He doesn’t look overburdened on his three juvenile starts and he is certainly bred to be a lot better than his mark of 84, being by No Nay Never out of a 109-rated Group 3-winning mare.
But I imagine two or three other trainers in here will fancy that their horses have plenty of handicap upside too – notably Vincenzo Peruggia at a general 10s perhaps – and the prices on offer are hardly bet-inducing (one firm are betting 4s, 4s, 4s and 5s about their first four in the market in this 14-runner race).
The 33s outsider Just A Girl could go elsewhere.
Let’s see what Thursday 10am brings us here. Not least with the draw.
I think you want to be playing with a full, known hand when punting at Musselburgh, as a low draw can be crucial here over 7f.
Indeed low draws have tended to dominate in this race in recent years, and last season saw a finishing order of 1-3-2-4 (Persuasion beat Gweedore in fact, and they are both in here once again).
I’d be very interested in Linwood here if he got a low draw on Thursday morning, and indeed I wouldn’t like to be laying him at the available 5s as I type this.
He made all in impressive fashion by 5 1/2 lengths at Newmarket last season and, although upped 10lb and gelded since (not sure if the latter is a positive or a negative), connections had him in the Doncaster Mile at the five-day stage last week.
He could have Group-race pretensions this season – the Newmarket runner-up is now rated 12lb higher – and he could take some pegging back if getting on the rail early doors here come the weekend.
Let’s hold fire until then.
Midnight Gun hails from a stable that are two from two in the UK this season and I can fully see why he would interest some at 5s, too (the firm that went 11-2 are now just 7-2, and 4s is the more representative, current price).
This is the final of the 2m handicap hurdle series, so you’d hope most of the 19 five-day entries will stand their ground.
The following are double entered, though: General Briar, Ice In The Veins, Soleil d’Arizona and Williethebuilder. So I wouldn’t go anywhere near them for now.
Surprisingly, only three bookmaking organisations have priced this up (as at 1.51pm on Tuesday), and all go a quarter the odds 1,2,3.
I imagine we will be looking at four places for each-way punters on Thursday.
As is usually the case, punters are probably better off waiting, but Bucephalus looked an okay price at a general 8s.
The 9yo may have gone up 5lb to a career-high mark of 135 after making all in a four-runner race at Newcastle last time, but that at least shows his well-being (he won really well there) and he had earlier bumped into a well-handicapped horse when second to Serious Challenge here in December before understandably blowing out in very deep ground in the old Betfair Hurdle at Newbury.
That Newcastle win and rise does make him vulnerable to the younger models here though, so I will sit on him for now, not least until I see the final pace map.
And he isn’t jocked up yet, for what it is worth.
Al Qareem doesn’t have an easy task here under a 5lb penalty but you can see why he is the [11/10] favourite (as short as 5/6).
Mount Atlas (9/2) and Leinster (6/1) could give him a race at their best, though we are guessing at the fitness of all three.
Or indeed whether they will run.
At least we know Roaring Legend, 8s tops, is fit and in form.
There is a difference of opinion Geoffrey when it comes to Maxi King, as low as 4s and as big as 10s.
Joseph O’Brien has three in here.
Leinster doesn’t have any alternative options this week but Galileo Dame, who ran on Monday, and Snapretend do.
Kate O’Riley and Selenic could go elsewhere too, so this race has the potential to cut up a good deal from the 11 entries.
A messy picture, but some clued-up punters may know more than me as regards running plans and could be on the look-out for each way 1,2,3 wagers ante-post….
As with the 2.12pm, only three outfits have priced up this 3m handicap hurdle final.
There is not much between the first five in the betting here in this 18-strong field (all range between 5s and 7s) , with only Harry Bright and Ramo entered elsewhere this week.
It looks a very competitive heat, and too many interested me at this stage.
Everyone is a quarter 1,2.3.
Now, it wouldn’t have taken much cash but it is easy to see why Wise Eagle was cut from 12s and 1os on Tuesday. and is now into 8s tops. And 7s is a more representative, current price.
To state the bleedin’ obvious , he has a lot going for him.
Before I outline those, the books are betting 1/4 1,2,3 here and we have 19 entries at the five-day stage, with all bar two jocked up.
A touch miserly, perhaps.
Anyway, Wise Eagle is a standing dish around here, as a four-time course winner on the Flat who won this race in 2023 (as well as a hurdles win for good measure), who comes in here after a cracking third in the Morebattle.
He gets in this handicap off the ceiling mark of 95, having pretty quickly come down the handicap ladder in recent times (he had a peak Flat mark of 107), and the stable have won with five of their last eight runners.
I’d have been all over him at double figures if I’d written this an hour or two ago, but such is life.
Some other cat has got my punting cream for now then, but the 9yo could well drift back out from 7s if the field holds up at the overnight stage, with extra places to boot.
Dan Skelton’s Gambino is far sexier at 7s after the three Flat starts, and a gentle hurdles run at Newbury last time, but I find it increasingly hard to warm to these types. I could change my mind on Thursday if he is confirmed, though…
This is another series final – in this case the veterans’ 2m4f handicap chase – and, again, a distinct lack of interest from the layers.
Everyone is a quarter 1,2,3.
I sense a recurring theme.
None of the 18 are double entered, though Time To Bite has been scratched, so we are down to 17.
And I suppose you should be wary if you want to back Courtland or Dreal Deal as they are also in the Topham at Aintree next week.
I’ve no interest in this, ante-post. And probably won’t have on the day, if truth be told.
Genois heads the betting at 4s and 5s, but one outfit has five horses priced between 4s and 7s, with joint-favs at 4s.
Hardly come and have a bet, stuff.
I’ll be more than happy to address this 5f handicap once the final field is known.
Well, perhaps not happy, but I’ll do it.
They are betting 1/4 the odds 1,2,3 here too – and you can bet your bottom dollar one firm will be offering five places at the weekend.
Mind you, they’ll be worst price on everything, though…
I was going to say that the 3.55pm at Haydock on Saturday has a lovely betting shape to it.
Just the 13 five-day entries, seven of which could go elsewhere, and two of those are set to run on Thursday (see below).
Then I looked at the prices…
Only two bookmaking organisations have priced it up and let’s just say generosity is not in the building from either.
One has nine horses priced between 10/3 and 8s – seven between 10/3 and 6s – and the other mob is not that much better.
The two horses set to run on Thursday are only available at 6s and 8s.
Defensive, shall we say.
That’s the National Hunt races done and dusted too, then.
GOING: Standard
Wednesday morning course update: Sunny intervals today and tomorrow with daytime highs of between 10’C – 15’C. Friday looks overcast in the morning before clearing for racing. 15’C and breezy.
GOING: Standard
Wednesday morning course update: 0.2mm of rain in the last 7 days. Wednesday, dry with sunny spells, chance of light rain showers through the evening, highs of 14C, overnight lows of 6C. Thursday, dry with sunny spells, highs of 11C, overnight lows of 5C. Friday, light rain showers till early afternoon then should remain dry, highs of 15C, overnight lows of 8C.
GOING: Standard
Stalls: 5f & 1m – outside Remainder – inside
Wednesday morning course update: Dry yesterday, highs of 16C. Forecast: Misty start, remaining overcast throughout today, highs of 15C. Chance of showers overnight. Sunny spells on Thursday, 12C. Overcast with a chance of showers on Friday, 14C.
GOING – Round: Good, good to soft in places; Straight: Good to soft, good in places
GOING STICK: 7.3, Wednesday 4pm
Thursday morning course update: Sunny. 5mm overnight. Thursday – A sunny frosty start. dry day with cloud increasing. 11*, risk of shower this evening. 0.5mm – 2mm. Friday – Mix of cloud and sunshine, windy day, 11*, chance of showers blowing through, 1mm- 4mm. Saturday – A dry start, s/w breeze with gusts later. Current favouring that any rain will hold off till the evening after racing.12*.
Weather (yr.no latest as at 7.23am, Thursday): Dry Thursday, 1.5mm Friday and 5mm Saturday (most currently due after racing)
GOING: Good to soft (good in places)
GOING STICK: 5.4, Thursday 8am
Going Ratio slight variances between courses: Hurdle 60/40 Chase 80/20
Thursday morning course update: 1mm Thursday overnight. Dry on Thursday. Showers are possible on Friday 2-4mm. Saturday 1mm possible with strong winds increasing during racing. 60mm in March. 33mm last 10 days. Max temp 12°C
Watering: 3mm on 3 furlongs of home straight Thursday. 5mm was applied on hurdle home turn bend Wednesday.
Weather (yr.no latest as at 7.23am Thursday): 1.2mm Thursday, 2.9mm Friday. 1.9mm Saturday (after racing at moment)
1.25pm Musselburgh: Just A Girl
1.55pm Musselburgh: Bellarchi, City House (due to run on Friday), Goldmoyne
2.12pm Haydock: General Briar, Ice In The Veins, Soleil d’Arizona, Williethebuilder
2.30pm Musselburgh: Galileo Dame (a length second in 1m6f handicap at Navan on Monday – and also has two entries in Ireland later this week), Kate O’Riley, Selenic (due to run on Friday), Snapretend
2.42pm Haydock: Harry Bright, Ramo
3.05pm Musselburgh: Baileys Khelstar, Codiak, Nolton Cross (due to run on Friday), Sax Appeal (due to run on Friday), Solarize
3.20pm Haydock: Courtland (in an early closer on April 10), Dreal Deal ((in an early closer on April 10),
3.42pm Musselburgh: Archduke Ferdinand, Gangsta Man, Heavenly Heather (reserve on Friday), Master Of My Fate, Wheels Of Fire, Ziggy’s Triton
3.55pm Haydock: Supreme George (due to run on Thursday), Achille Des Rocs, Park Talk, I Shut That Door, Always A Reason (due to run on Thursday), Victoria Milano, Count Adhemar
COPY tbc…. I am not sure if there will be any copy/tips but they will…
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