Thursday 23rd April 2026
Following a healthy profit on Wednesday, I head over to Beverley for four selections on Thursday, the first of which comes within the 1.52, which is a Class 4 maiden over a mile and two furlongs. I’ve come down on CAPE FEAR in the opener, who’s trained by Andrew Balding and ridden by P J McDonald. He ran well on his seasonal reappearance at Bath earlier this month, finishing third of eight, whilst perhaps needing the run. He should be a lot sharper coming into his second start here, and he represents a yard that is once again among the winners. If he does show that natural progression, he should be thereabouts at the business end of things.
The second selection of the afternoon comes within the 2.52, and this is a Class 4 handicap which is set to be ridden over a distance of five furlongs. I’m with the nine-year-old here, which is VENTURA EXPRESS for the team of Paul Midgley and Jason Hart. He hasn’t won for a while now; however, he’s gone close on several occasions, and he is a course and distance winner. Most recently, he finished third of six at Newcastle, but was only a neck behind the eventual winner, Juan Les Pins. He’ll contest this off the same mark as his Newcastle effort, which is seven pounds below his last winning one. His latest effort suggests that a return to the winners’ enclosure could be imminent.
I turn my attention to the 3.52 for my third selection, and this is a Class 5 handicap, which is contested over a mile and four furlongs. I’m taking a chance on KITSUNE POWER here for Tim Easterby and David Allan. He was sent off the 11/4 favourite for his seasonal reappearance at Catterick earlier this month, and whilst he couldn’t reward favourite backers, he still ran a solid race, finishing third of ten and two and three-quarters of a length behind the winner, Free Pic. He should naturally strip fitter following that run and remains on the same mark here, which is twelve pounds below his last winning mark, albeit that success came in June 2024. I do think he’s slightly overpriced here, and has every chance off this mark.
My fourth and final selection of the day comes in the 5.25, a Class 6 handicap over a mile and two furlongs. This is my best bet of the day, and comes in the form of SMOKER BELLAMY for Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole, and the mount of Jack Doughty. This three-year-old posted his best effort to date last time out at Wolverhampton, finishing second of nine, and this was also his first run since August of last year. He went clear in the two furlongs from home on that occasion, before getting tired in the closing stages, which is to be expected given his time off the straight. He should, however, be a lot fitter coming into this run, and he has to be considered as a serious player off the same mark.
Thursday Selections
23/04/26
1.52 Beverley
CAPE FEAR – (10/3) (Win) (NB)
2.52 Beverley
VENTURA EXPRESS – (7/2) (Win)
3.52 BEVERLEY
KITSUNE POWER – (15/2) (Each-Way)
5.25 Beverley
SMOKER BELLAMY – (5/2) (Win) (NAP)
