Thursday 26th March 2026
NAP (Best Bet)
The best bet of the day on Thursday comes within the 5.00 at Warwick, and this is a Class 5 National Hunt Flat Race over two miles. IVOR BEAR sets the standard here and should be tough to beat for the Twiston-Davies team. He was fourth on his rules debut in a Listed event at Cheltenham, before finishing second at Doncaster last time out behind a potentially useful sort in Friendly Glance. Whilst he couldn’t land a glove on that rival, he was six lengths clear of the third on that occasion. He should take another step forward here, which makes him the one to beat.
5.00 Warwick – IVOR BEAR – (11/10) (NAP)
NB (Next Best Bet)
It’s over to Chepstow for my next best on Thursday, and the 4.50, which is a Class 5 handicap hurdle that’s contested over two miles and seven and a half furlongs. CRYSTELLO is a big player here for Harry Derham and Paul O’Brien. He won on his handicap debut at Musselburgh last month, with the front two on that occasion pulling fourteen lengths clear. He’s up just four pounds for that particular success, and you’d like to think there is still considerable improvement to come from him. Another bold effort would be no shock.
4.50 Chepstow – CRYSTELLO – (9/4) (NB)
3B (Third Best Bet)
I’m staying at Chepstow for what I rank as my third-best bet of the afternoon, and the 3.50, a Class 4 handicap chase over a marathon distance of three miles and six and a half furlongs. Rebecca Curtis is no stranger to winning a staying chase, and she could hold the key here with RIVER VOYAGE, who’s the mount of five-pound claimer Toby McCain-Mitchell. He kept on well to win over three miles on heavy ground at Ffos Las last time, giving the impression that he’s got every chance of handling this further step up in distance. He’s also up just three pounds for that success, and there should be more to come from him over fences.
3.50 Chepstow – RIVER VOYAGE – (7/2) (3B)
Each Way Bet
I now turn to Southwell for my each-way bet of the day, and the 4.07, which is a Class 6 handicap over seven furlongs. I like MAXIMUM VELOCITY here for Nigel Tinkler and Rowan Scott. Unfortunately, the price has collapsed in the last couple of hours, but I still think he’s well worth a play. He returned to the track for the first time since August at Newcastle earlier this month, where he showed significant improvement on his handicap debut when upped in trip, to finish third of twelve, and just a length and three-quarters behind the winner. He remains on the same mark here, and that has to make him of serious interest if he takes another step forward.
4.07 Southwell – MAXIMUM VELOCITY – (9/2) (Each-Way)
Longshot
My longshot on Thursday comes from Chelmsford and within the 5.30, which is a Class 5 maiden over six furlongs. I’m taking a chance on a newcomer here in the form of SARGENT DENNIS for Jack Channon and George Bass. He cost 20,000 euros as a yearling, and notably, he is related to a couple of all-weather winners. Channon also doesn’t do badly with three-year-olds on the all-weather, and he actually shows a profit for the last five seasons with his three-year-old runners on this surface. This doesn’t look like a necessarily deep race, and he could go well on debut at a nice price.
5.30 Chelmsford – SARGENT DENNIS – (20/1) (Each-Way)
