Saturday 14th February 2026
We’ve got five selections this Saturday, the first of which comes at Ascot and is within the 1.15, a Class 2 novices’ hurdle over two miles and three and a half furlongs. The Ben Pauling-trained MONDOUI’BOY looks to hold strong claims here under Ben Jones. He was a £140,000 purchase from the pointing sphere, and wasted no time in opening his account on stable debut for the Pauling yard when winning by four and a half lengths at Ludlow last month. There should be a lot more to come from him, and he looks like another potentially useful recruit for the yard. A bold show would be no surprise. Etna Bianco looks like the main danger for Joe Tizzard; he won a Class 2 event on his penultimate start here in November, before finding Grade 1 company too hot at Newbury last time out.
We stay at Ascot for our second selection of the afternoon, and the 2.25, a Class 2 handicap hurdle that’s contested over two miles and three and a half furlongs. This is extremely competitive; however, it could pay to side with LIGHTNINGUPOURDAYS for Alastair Ralph and Jack Hogan. He won a handicap on soft ground at Uttoxeter last season, and made his return to the track after nearly a year off at Hereford in December, where he finished a very encouraing third of nine. The form of that Hereford run looks solid, and he should take a big step forward coming into the second outing of his campaign. He’s still unexposed within this sphere, and there could well be more to come. Dan Skelton’s mare Listentoyourheart is a clear danger on the back of her success at Windsor last time out on New Year’s Day, and there could be more improvement still to come from John Barbour for Fergal O’Brien, who has won two of his last three starts.
Staying at Ascot once more and the 3.00, which is the Swinley Handicap Chase over three miles. This could be another big handicap success for Dan Skelton with JOYEUX MACHIN, who’s the mount of Tristan Durrell. He was in the process of running his best race to date over fences at Doncaster last time out in the Grade 3 Great Yorkshire Chase, as he was going comfortably and was five lengths clear before falling. He remains on the same mark for this assignment, and has to be considered as a very serious player on that basis. He’s got a big chance of making amends under Durrell. The main danger will likely come in the form of Montregard for Tom Lacey and Jonny Burke, who won over course and distance back in November, and ran another big race when second here last time out.
Our fourth and final selection of the afternoon comes from Haydock and is in the 3.15, the Grand National Trial, a Premier Handicap Chase over three miles and four and a half furlongs. There are a lot of familiar faces here, who are no strangers to these marathon contests; however, it could be the Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore-trained MYRETOWN who comes out on top under Derek Fox. The yard roared back to form at Kelso on Friday with a treble, and their flag-bearing nine-year-old here has every chance. He looked like an exciting prospect when winning the Ultima at last year’s Cheltenham Festival by eleven lengths; however, jumping has let him down in his two starts this term. He did keep to his task here in the Peter Marsh last time out to finish fourth and three and a half lengths behind Imperial Saint, and if he gets a clearer round, he should go close here off the same mark. He should still have big days in him. Defeaning Silence is an obvious main danger on the back of his third-placed effort in the Welsh Grand National last time out, and Richmond Lake is certainly a player on the form of his neck second in the Peter Marsh here last time out.
1.15 Ascot – MONDOUI’BOY – 7/4 (Win) (NAP)
2.25 Ascot – LIGHTNINGUPOURDAYS – 11/2 (Each-Way)
3.00 Ascot – JOYEUX MACHIN – 4/1 (Win) (NB)
3.15 Haydock – MYRETOWN – 11/4 (Win)
