2026 Newmarket Craven Meeting Thursday Preview

We didn’t manage to land a winner at Aintree but we landed place money with Jordans, and Take No Chances on Saturday and with Ike Sport (NB), Solness, and Mahons Glory (NAP) on Friday so overall, it wasn’t a complete disaster. We are back on the Flat tomorrow, my 2026 Newmarket Craven meeting Thursday tips are below.

1.50 – Betway Handicap (Class 2)

As is always the case in this early part of the season, many of these sprinters are lacking a recent run so fitness and well-being has to be taken on trust. Richard Hughes has started the season well and the booking of Ryan Moore for Sayidah Hard Spun catches the eye but I am going to take a chance on one at a far bigger price.

Sir Alfie has been installed as the rank outsider of the field at 40/1 but based on his win at the Curragh over this trip on good ground for Ger Lyons last August, he might be a touch overpriced here for Charlie Pike and Tom Greatrex.

After a moderate debut in the Navan maiden won by Charles Darwin, Sir Alfie was pretty consistent on good ground for Lyons. He got off the mark second time out at Down Royal  (5f, good) when seemingly the stable’s second string, giving 7lbs and a 1l beating to his now 92 rated stable companion.

On his next start at Cork, again over 5f, he finished a respectable third in a rated race, finishing 2.25l behind the runner up Kansas, who is now rated 101. Six lengths behind him in fifth was Oh Cecilia, already a two-time winner this season in Ireland who is now rated 89.

On his last start at 6f on good ground, Sir Alfie scored on his handicap debut at the Curragh off a mark of 85. He left Ger Lyons shortly after that win and his next two starts for Charles Byrnes came in listed races over 6f on yielding ground at Fairyhouse and on the AW over 5f at Dundalk.

He has been gelded in the off-season and he will have his optimum conditions of 6f on good ground for his first UK run for Charlie Pike. The market will probably indicate how he is expected to run but if he’s fit and ready I think he’s more than capable of being competitive off a mark of 90 so at 40/1, I’ll have a small each way bet.

2026 Newmarket Craven meeting Thursday Tip: Sir Alfie e/w @ 40/1 (5 places)

2.25 – Wood Ditton Maiden Stakes (Class 2)

One of the most prestigious British 3yo maidens which is often won by a useful animal. You’d think the market would be informative for a race like this but only two favourites have obliged since 2016 and there’s been three double figure priced winners in that period so we might as well have a go at finding one at rewarding odds.

The one I’ll take a swing at is Bemersyde for Jane Chapple-Hyam and Rossa Ryan. By Ghaiyyath, this colt is a half-brother to the very useful Warnie, a Group 2 winner in Australia. His dam won over an extended mile so this looks the right trip for him on debut and the booking of Ryan for the ride is a plus too (2/15 with three top 4s for this owner).

Chapple-Hyam ran two in this last season in these silks and they finished third and fourth at 11/4 and 33/1. The yard can ready one and hopefully, Bemersyde shows up well. Given the circumstances he isn’t one to be lumping on but at 16/1, a small e/w interest is advised.

2026 Newmarket Craven meeting Thursday Tip: Bemersyde e/w @ 16/1

3.00 – Abernant Stakes (Group 3)

A quality race with some top sprinters making their seasonal reappearances. Last year’s Commonwealth Cup winner Time For Sandals is surprisingly big at 4/1, especially with Ryan Moore booked for the ride.

Both Aramram and Jasour (who we have backed plenty of times before) have had the benefit of a recent run, finishing 1-2 in that order in the Cammidge at Doncaster. However, I can’t let Run To Freedom go unbacked, even at the ripe old age of eight.

He’s never won when we’ve backed him but he’s placed at monstrous odds on multiple occasions and overall, he owes us nothing. To be honest, I thought he would have been retired at the end of last season but the fact Henry Candy is bringing him back for another season suggests he still thinks he has a big one in him.  

It is encouraging that one of his best runs last year came on his seasonal reappearance in this very race when he was beaten just 1.5l into fourth behind the subsequent G1 winner Sajir. He pulled hard that day so it was a fine effort in the circumstances and hopefully he will settle better this time in this much bigger field.

He still hasn’t been gelded so a career at stud is clearly still on the cards for the son of Muhaarar and if he were to repeat the form he showed when a fine third in the July Cup here last year, he won’t be far away. At odds of 33/1, back Run To Freedom e/w.

2026 Newmarket Craven meeting Thursday Tip: Run To Freedom e/w @ 33/1 (4 places)

3.35 – Craven Stakes (Group 3)

The main event on Thursday at HQ is the Craven Stakes. Some very classy horses have won this in recent years, including the likes of Field Of Gold, Haatem (who we backed at 16s), Native Trail, Masar and Eminent.

This year, Coolmore are represented by the Futurity Stakes winner Hawk Mountain, but the fact that Aidan O’Brien has never won this race has to rate as a worry for his backers. Godolphin have a fine record in this race and they are double handed. Both their runners are 2/2, with Buick on the Frankel colt Hidden Force for Charlie Appleby and Ray Dawson on Avicenna for Roger Varian.

All three of those aforementioned horses are single figure prices, which is no use to us, but a few firms are paying three places e/w so at 25/1, I’ll take a chance on the George Scott trained Victor Ludorum colt, Commander’s Intent.

This horse had a fine 2yo campaign after a moderate run on debut at Newbury. He subsequently won a York maiden and a Doncaster handicap off 87 and his last three starts of 2025 came in stakes races.

At Baden Baden in September he was beaten just 2l into second in a Group 3 by Gostam (who won his next start in a G3 by 5l). He then finished second again in the G3 Sommerville Stakes over this C&D (good), beaten 4l by the subsequent Dewhurst third Distant Storm, currently an 8/1 poke for the 2000 Guineas.  

On his final start of last season he ran second in a 7f (soft) listed contest at Chantilly. I believe this horse will eventually prove most effective over 1m but given his record over 7f, it makes sense to keep him at the distance for now and depending on how Thursday goes, maybe step him up in trip next time.

With an official rating of 100 he hasn’t got a lot to find with the two Godolphin runners on paper and with odds of 25/1 on offer, a small each way interest on Commander’s Intent is advised.

2026 Newmarket Craven meeting Thursday Tip: Commander’s Intent e/w @ 25/1 (3 places)

-DaveStevos

Fairyhouse Sunday Tip

We landed a superb 28/1 winner with The Glen Rovers on Good Friday. It was an outstanding ride by Sean D Bowen and a top-class display of target training by Lucy Wadham. I am backing one horse at Fairyhouse on Sunday, hopefully she fares better at the start than she did at Cheltenham and also better than Soldierstown fared at the start at Fairyhouse on Saturday.

We backed Amen Kate at Cheltenham in the Grade 2 mares’ novice and she lost all chance at the start. It was a bit of a joke really but even though she was over 20l behind the leaders at one stage, she travelled into the race smoothly and two out, it looked like she might play a part in the finish.

However, the energy she expended getting into contention eventually took its toll on the Cheltenham hill and she faded out of it in the home straight.

Already a winner at Listed level, on the right handed track at Thurles, this daughter of Flemensfirth is bred to be a smart horse. Her dam, Augusta Kate, won this Grade 1 at this meeting in 2017 and her grand-dam, Feathard Lady, won the Grade 1 Christmas Hurdle at Sandown in 2005.

Jack Kennedy, who was on board at Cheltenham, maintains the partnership and that has to be viewed as a plus. Yielding to soft ground should be absolutely fine for her and I’m convinced that if Amen Kate was given a fair shake at the start at Cheltenham, she’d have been in the frame and she wouldn’t be a 28/1 shot today. At those odds, she has to be worth backing each way.

I’ll be back with a preview for Monday’s card on the TXMarkets blog tomorrow.

Fairyhouse Saturday Tip: Amen Kate e/w @ 28/1 NAP

-DaveStevos

2026 Newcastle A/W Championships Preview & Tip

Last weekend we landed just one place with the very well backed Far From Dandy. Apart from his fine run, it was a bit of a disaster so hopefully we can bounce back on a busy Easter weekend. I’m not going to have a Saturday preview for TXMarkets but I will cover Fairyhouse’s Monday card for them and I may also have something for Sunday on my own blog. I have just two bets for Friday and they both run at Newcastle.

2.25 – Fillies’ And Mares’ Championship (Class 2)

A substantial purse of £150k for this contest with over 70 LARGE going to the winner. Plenty of horses will have been targeted at this race given the prize money and off a mark of 76, I am going to take a chance on the Richard Spencer trained Shallow.

She is by her owner’s sire Rajasinghe, a stallion who has a propensity for producing hardy handicappers. This filly was third in this race last year, beaten by just a length off a mark of 80. She had a very similar prep last season, running three races over 6f before running so well and Spencer has stuck to the same blueprint.

Shallow has admittedly yet to win over 6f but two of her best runs in the most valuable races she has contested have been over 7f, here last year and in a £100k handicap at York where she was a fine fourth off 82, beaten 3.5l for the win.

Her latest outing at Kempton over 6f had prep run written all over it and Saffie Osborne, who rode in that 7f York race, returns to the plate. The assessor dropped Shallow 1lb for that last effort and she returns to try and go two places better than last year off a 4lb lower mark. Her tendency to race keenly often costs her late in races but if Saffie can get her to settle better, she should be on the premises here at odds of 18/1.

2026 Newcastle A/W Championships Tip: Shallow e/w @ 18/1 (4 places)

4.10 – AW Easter Classic Middle Distance Handicap (Class 2)

An even bigger purse of £175k here with a whopping £90k going to the victor. The one I am going to take a chance on at a big price is The Glen Rovers. Trained by Lucy Wadham, who is better known for producing winners over jumps, he’ll be ridden by Sean D Bowen (not the jumps jockey).

A son of Dark Angel, this 7yo has won five of his eleven starts. He only made his debut in an AW bumper as a 4yo but he has proven himself to be a useful performer on the Flat. He won on his handicap debut over this C&D off a lowly mark of 63 in July 2024 and he was kept on the go until last February, notching up four more wins, culminating in a neck win off 85 in the AW Champs trial at Lingfield.

Wadham gave him a well deserved break after that last gasp win and he returned to action in November off a mark of 92. A big unit, he probably needed that run, and the same sentiment applies to his next run at Kempton too as he was given an 86 day break after his comeback.

Last time at Chelmsford was also most likely a prep run as he was ridden close to the pace. He is a hold up sort who is best coming off a strong gallop and he is more than likely going to get that here. He stays further than 1m2f, which is an asset given the stiff nature of the Newcastle track and he is now just 3lb above his last win. Hopefully they go hard and fast from the start here and if they do, The Glen Rovers can stay on late to hit the frame at odds of 28/1.

2026 Newcastle A/W Championships Tip: The Glen Rovers e/w @ 28/1 (4 places) NAP

-DaveStevos

2026 Spring E/W Double

It’s that time of year again, although you wouldn’t know it from the weather. The Lincoln Handicap and the Grand National are coming up soon and Dave Stevos has found two horses at big prices for a 2026 Spring E/W Double (plus two small e/w singles). He landed a 25/1 winner at Naas on Sunday, find out who he is backing below.

Saturday March 28 Doncaster – Lincoln Handicap

I must admit, this is a race I don’t have a brilliant record in. Things have to change at some point though surely! Hopefully it’s this year.

Long time followers might remember me tipping up a horse trained by Geoffrey Harker in this race (twice in fact), Scottish Summit. Unfortunately, he never landed a blow in either of those renewals but I think his 5yo son of Muhaarar, Dashing Darcey, may be able to produce a big run for the Yorkshire based trainer this year.

Formerly trained by Roger Varian, this horse has won three of his fourteen starts (two on the AW). His last win came for Varian off 86 in a Haydock handicap (1m, good) in June 2024 and on his last two starts for that stable he was placed in mile handicaps on soft ground at Haydock and Goodwood off 92, so we know he is ground versatile.

Harker shot for the stars straight away with Dashing Darcey after shelling out 110,000gns for him at the 2024 Tattersalls Autumn horses in training sales. His first start came in last year’s renewal of this race and he got absolutely zero luck in running.

Dropped Out

David Allan dropped him out, as he is always ridden, and as the pace lifted he was initially tapped for toe. However, it looked like he had come back onto the bridle at around the 2f pole but just as he was beginning to creep into the race, he was badly baulked, Allan had to snatch up and that was race over.

On his next start he was narrowly denied off 91 at Haydock and then after a modest 7f run at York in June, he was put away for the season and gelded.

He races off the same mark off which he went close at Haydock here, David Allan is back on board and I’m hoping Harker has him ready to rock for his seasonal reappearance. He needs two horses to come out to get a run (which should happen), and if he does sneak in and avoids traffic problems, Dashing Darcey is capable of running on late for place money at least at odds of 66/1.

2026 Spring E/W Double Tip: Dashing Darcey e/w @ 66/1 (4 places 1/4 odds)

Saturday April 11 Aintree – Grand National

I have already tipped up High Class Hero for this race at 50/1 (read why here). Since I put him up, he has been pulled up at Naas but just like at Gowran in the Thyestes that was on testing ground, so I’d be willing to forgive him that run. He’s out to as big as 80s in a place now but if the ground comes up good at Aintree, I can see him producing a much better effort.

However, for this double, I am going to go with another horse that has had excuses for poor runs on his last two starts. We have backed Jordans a number of times over the past two seasons and he has yet to let us down.

We were on e/w at massive odds when he chased home Impaire Et Passe in the Faugheen Chase at Limerick (19.5f, yld-sft) in December 2024 and again when he was runner up behind Caldwell Potter at Aintree in a Grade 1 novice chase (3m, gd-sft) at last year’s National meeting. This season, we backed him e/w for five places in the Pertemps Qualifier (3m, gd-yld) at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting and while Keith Donoghue got his calculations wrong and missed out on qualifying for the final, he did stay on late to land the place money for us in fifth.

Nice Ground

That was the last time Jordans got a bit of nice ground. He has run twice over fences since, pulling up on heavy at Gowran and outpaced over an inadequate 2m5f at Leopardstown on soft.

I think the fact that Joseph O’Brien swerved Cheltenham with this son of Coastal Path is notable, as is the fact that he ran so well behind Caldwell Potter at Aintree a year ago. That rival is rated 155 over fences and Jordans gets in here off 150 so theoretically, he could be on a competitive mark (even with the usual Irish tax). He’ll also have a lovely racing weight of 10st 8lbs, once the top weights declare.

If it comes up soft or heavy, Jordans is probably goosed but if it doesn’t and there’s good in the description, as I have said before, I think this is a horse with Grade 1 ability. He hasn’t been properly ‘off’ once yet this year, hopefully he gets his ground and shows what he is capable of at Aintree. At 40/1, Jordans is the each way selection.

2026 Spring E/W Double Tip: Jordans e/w @ 40/1 (4 places 1/4 odds)

-DaveStevos

2026 Grand National Ante-Post Tip

Our ante-post bet on Beauport for last year’s Grand National didn’t go very well but we did find I Am Maximus at 25/1 in 2025 so hopefully, we can repeat the trick with our 2026 Grand National ante-post tip.

Seven of the last nine Grand National winners have been Irish trained. Lucinda Russell is the only UK trainer that has managed to break the Irish spell of dominance, with One For Arthur in 2017 and Corach Rambler in 2023.

Willie Mullins had the 1-2-3-5 last year. He also won it in 2025 and this year, he is responsible for 14 of the 78 entries. The bookies reckon that the home team has a good chance of getting back in the winner’s enclosure in 2026, with Iroko the current 7/1 fav for Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero.

Yes, he ran well in it last year when he was also sent off the fav, but he’s 5lb higher now and there isn’t much value in his current odds.

The most hyped Mullins horse since the weights have been published is the Scottish National winner Captain Cody. He won that off 140 and he’s 12lb higher for Aintree and if he wins the Bobbyjo on Saturday, he will likely shorten further.

However, the Mullins’ horse that might represent a bit of each way value at 50/1 is last season’s Bet365 Gold Cup third, High Class Hero.

Sticky Jumps

Only for a couple of sticky jumps at the third and second last fences at Sandown, this son of Sulamani (who sired the 2016 National winner Ruler Of The World) would have finished a lot closer than the 4.5l he was beaten by Resplendent Grey, to whom he was conceding 6lb. That rival also holds an entry for the 2026 Grand National and off level weights this time, I would fancy High Class Hero to close that gap markedly, once he jumps better.

This season, High Class Hero made a pleasing return to action over an inadequate trip of 2m5f at Punchestown in November. He was then sent off at 10/1 for the Thyestes Chase at Gowran but I’m not sure the absolutely bottomless ground was to his liking and he was pulled up before the second last fence.

Yes, he has won on testing ground over shorter but his form figures on yielding to soft or quicker read 1211223 and on the balance of probabilities, it will more than likely be good to soft in April.

High Class Hero has yet to race left-handed over the bigger obstacles but he has won two of his three previous starts going that way round, a bumper and a novice hurdle at Listowel, so he should be fine at Aintree. He’s only 5lb higher than when running so well in the Bet365 Gold Cup last year and if he puts in a half-decent round of jumping, High Class Hero is capable of hitting the frame in the 2026 Grand National at odds of 50/1.

2026 Grand National Ante-Post Tip: High Class Hero e/w @ 50/1

-DaveStevos

2026 Thyestes Chase Ante-Post Tip

This used to be a race in which smaller yards had a fighting chance of landing a big pot but these days, bigger yards mostly dominate. Yes, Martin Brassil won it in in 2022 but that was with Longhouse Poet for the Mulryans so it wasn’t really a ‘fairytale’ win. The last properly small trainer to take this prize was Liam Burke with My Murphy in 2016 and those that have been following me from the very start might remember backing him.

As a tipster who somewhat specialises in spotting horses with winning potential from so called lesser yards, the way Irish racing has gone in the last ten years has not made my job easy. For example, in last year’s renewal 14 of the 18 runners were trained by Mullins, Elliott, Cromwell and De Bromhead.

Big Four

This year, the big four are responsible for 23 of the 32 remaining entries and the chances are, one of them will win it. Flying the flag for the smaller operations is Terence O’Brien with Answer To Kayf. He landed the Troytown Chase on heavy ground at Navan in fine style back in November off 141 and if it comes up testing at Gowran on Thursday, he should go well again.

However, he’s only 10/1 and there isn’t much juice in those odds. Jordans is another interesting runner for Joseph O’Brien. We backed him in the Pertemps Qualifier at Leopardstown where he landed the place money for us in fifth but missed qualifying for the final at Cheltenham. He now reverts to fences and I think he is better than a 150 chaser, but I’m not sure the son of Coastal Path wants really soft ground.

Relish Conditions

One horse that looks certain to relish the likely testing conditions is Tom Gibney’s 2024 Irish Grand National hero Intense Raffles. Less than a year ago, on his last start at 3m plus on properly soft ground, Intense Raffles got to within 0.75l of Nick Rockett at Fairyhouse when conceding 3lb. That rival is now rated 169 after his Aintree heroics.

Three of Intense Raffle’s four runs since that excellent effort have come on good to soft ground and unsurprisingly, he hasn’t fared well. He pulled up at Aintree, was beaten 19l in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury and then pulled up in the Welsh National at Chepstow in December.

After those efforts, it is no surprise he is chalked up at 33/1 here but with rain forecast and the ground currently described as soft at Gowran, he should have his optimum conditions for the first time in almost a year.

Right-Handed

Another cause for optimism is that Tom Gibney’s charge is returning to a right-handed track. His career form figures at 3m plus on left-handed tracks read P8P. Going right-handed, he has amassed form figures of 112.

He admittedly remains 11lb higher than when winning the Irish National but that run at Fairyhouse last February suggests that he should be well capable of being competitive off his current rating of 151. Intense Raffles also likes to race close to the early pace, which is often a plus in this race and if he gets away well at the start and gets into a prominent position early, he can outrun his generous looking odds of 33/1.

2026 Thyestes Chase Ante-Post Tip: Intense Raffles e/w @ 33/1

-DaveStevos

Perratt’s Stable Star Worth A Poke At Newcastle

Unfortunately, we were narrowly denied a nice place with our NAP Ike Sport last weekend. There’s three days of live racing on ITV this weekend starting with the opening day of the Windsor Million meeting tomorrow (as well as All Weather Champs Trials at Newcastle). I’ll be covering the live ITV Saturday and Sunday cards for TXMarkets but I do like one horse at tasty odds that might be worth backing e/w at Newcastle tomorrow.

Linda Perratt is a trainer that I’ve followed for a long time. When I started focusing on finding big priced e/w bets she was one of the first trainers that came to my attention but she usually plies her trade at a much lower level than this.

Stable Star

She runs her stable star here, The Caltonian, and I think this horse is hugely overpriced at odds of 28/1. By Swiss Spirit, this 7yo was beaten just over 4l in this race last year, but he was running off a mark of 93. He is back to try again off 88, and the last time he ran off that mark over C&D, he won (Kieran O’Neill was on board that day too).

The Caltonian’s last two runs, both at this venue, have suggested his turn is near. He was beaten just 2l when not getting a clear run over C&D in November. He was 0.5l behind Heavenly Heather that day, conceding 11lbs. He gets 1lb from that rival here and yet he is 28s and Heavenly Heather is 14s.

The Caltonian finished sixth over 5f here last time, running on well late in the day. The step back up to 6f is a big plus, he’ll surely be trying his best and if he settles early and gets the gaps in the final furlong, The Caltonian can run into the money here at odds of 28/1.

2026 Newcastle Friday Tip: The Caltonian e/w @ 28/1 (4 places) NAP

-DaveStevos

2026 Cheltenham Ante-Post E/W Lucky 15

After all the exciting action over the Festive Season, I have set my sights on the Cheltenham Festival. I like the look of four horses at big odds e/w, get my 2026 Cheltenham ante-post e/w lucky 15 tips below.

Arkle Chase – Irish Panther e/w @ 20/1

I mentioned in my festive e/w lucky 15 preview that Irish Panther was one of my original selections but by the time of publication, he had shortened into single figure odds. Eddie Harty’s charge ran an absolute cracker after drifting back out to 12s and was narrowly denied by Romeo Coolio, currently around 8/1 for this race.

At Leopardstown, Irish Panther jumped and travelled supremely well, just like he did when winning on his chase debut at Naas. Clearly, he is a far better chaser than hurdler and only for a very slight stumble after jumping the last, I think he would have held on to beat the fast finishing Romeo Coolio.

Some might argue that he didn’t quite see out the trip and that the hill at Cheltenham will find him out stamina wise. I don’t buy that. I think he saw out the distance perfectly well and he finished over 12l ahead of a Grade 2 novice chase winner in July Flower.

Connections have already said that they are considering going straight to the Arkle, so barring injury, he should be a runner. I think odds of 20/1 are a bit of an insult considering how well he ran in Dublin and he is the first of our four 2026 Cheltenham ante-post selections.

Champion Chase – Solness e/w @ 25/1

Another horse that impressed at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting was Solness. We backed this horse when he won at 28/1 at last year’s meeting and he went on and followed up at the DRF in February. Unfortunately, he could only manage a poor fourth in this race last March, but he’s going to have a very different preparation this year.

When Solness finished down the field at Galway in July 2024, he was returning from a three-month break. Incredibly, he was kept on the go all through the autumn, the winter and then into the spring, running in the Champion Chase on what was effectively his ninth run on the spin without a break of 50 days or more. Surely, that played a part in his below par performance (and his lesser effort at Punchestown a month later).

This time, Solness has had a 292 day break and will likely have his third run of the season in the Champion Chase. He returned to action with a win at Leopardstown, holding off the late surge of Marine Nationale, who did really well to get so close after his early blunder.  You’d have to fancy Barry Connell’s charge to reverse that form but Solness finished over 3l clear of Majborough, an erratic jumper who is 7/1 for this, yet the sure footed Solness can be backed at 25s.

This race is almost certain to cut up considerably, and it would be no surprise if less than eight turned up in March. 25/1 about Solness with three places on offer sounds alright to me and he is our second 2026 Cheltenham ante-post selection.

Pertemps Handicap Hurdle – Electric Mason e/w @ 16/1

Our third selection is (yet) another horse we have backed this year. We were on Electric Mason at huge odds when he found just one too good in a qualifier for this race at Cheltenham on his seasonal reappearance. The horse that beat him, Ma Shantou, won again off 9lb higher at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.

Electric Mason rocked up to Haydock on his next start and we were on him again at 14s. Off a 4lb higher mark he went one place better, jumping well and holding off the late challenge of Hartington to score by a neck.

He got hit with a 7lb rise for that and afterwards, his trainer Chris Gordon stated all roads led to the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham in March. This horse goes well fresh so I concur with that plan and I think he has the potential to rate higher than his current mark of 139. Hopefully he gets there in one piece.

Gold Cup – I Am Maximus e/w @ 33/1

With Galopin Des Champs seemingly on the decline and the reigning champion Inothewayurthinkin bang out of sorts, this is the most open looking Gold Cup we’ve had for quite a while. Our Christmas winner Affordale Fury announced his arrival at the top table in the Savills but it is the horse who finished second behind him that I think could be set for a big run at Cheltenham in March.

I Am Maximus is a horse that owes us nothing. We were on ante-post at 25s when he won the 2024 Grand National and he pitched up in that race again last April and ran another cracker off a mark of 167, finding just Nick Rockett too good.

Lightly Raced

Many will point to this horse’s age as a negative. Yes, there is no denying he’s no spring chicken at the age of ten but since his Irish Grand National win in April 2023, he’s probably only run on his merits five times so he is a fresher horse than his age suggests.

My view is that connections have realised that he will struggle to win another National off his rating of 170 (no shame in that) and after a pipe opener in the John Durkan, they decided to unleash the beast in the Savills. He beat all comers bar Affordale Fury and over another furlong and a half (the Gold Cup Trip), he probably would have stayed on best to win.

His only previous run at Cheltenham came in the 2023 Brown Advisory (3m) and he got outpaced before staying on into fourth. I Am Maximus acts on any ground, an obvious plus when betting ante-post, and he was given an official entry today. At 33s, I think he is capable of a huge run.