Saturday 25th April 2026
The first of my four selections on Saturday comes from Haydock, and in the 2.00, which is a Class 4 fillies’ novice over a mile. I’m strong on the chances of SYMBOL OF MAJESTY for John & Thady Gosden, who’s the mount of William Buick. She was impressive when making a winning debut at Chelmsford back in December, given that she was a fair way back following a slow start, and made up plenty of ground to open her account at the first time of asking. She’s a New Bay filly, who is open to considerable improvement, and the yard won this particular race with the very smart Nashwa back in 2022. It would be no surprise to see a big performance.
It’s over to Leicester for my second selection of the afternoon, and this comes within the 2.05, which is the Class 2 King Richard III Cup handicap over six furlongs. This is extremely competitive, however, I’ve come down on STRIKE RED for the team of Richard & Peter Fahey, and the mount of three-pound claimer Warren Fentiman. He ran one of his best races for a while on his seasonal reappearance at Newcastle earlier this month, finishing third of ten and just a length behind the winner. He remains on the same mark here, with three pounds coming off his back via his rider, and this mark is also seven pounds lower than his last winning mark. He should also take a step forward coming into his second start of the campaign, and he’s worth playing each-way at his current price.
I’ve got one selection from Navan on Saturday, and this takes place in the 3.40, the Group 3 Salsabil Stakes over a mile and two furlongs. I’m fairly strong on the chances of THUNDERING ON here for the in-form Joseph O’Brien yard, and the mount of Joey Sheridan. She’s still a maiden; however, she’s shown plenty of promise in each of her three outings to date. Most recently, she made her seasonal reappearance at Leopardstown earlier this month, where she quickened impressively only to be run down very close home by a useful rival in Skydance, eventually going down by just a shoulder. She’s still open to a significant amount of improvement and could go very close here. I think that she could progress into a very nice filly.
My fourth and final selection on Saturday comes back at Leicester, and in the 3.55, and this is a Class 3 maiden that’s ridden over a mile and two furlongs. I think that Roger Varian’s ACT OF GENOROSITY could be above average, and he’s the mount of Ray Dawson here. The yard has been among the winners at this early stage of the season, and this three-year-old makes plenty of appeal. He cost 875,000 gns as a yearling, who’s a colt by Sea The Stars, and has plenty of stamina in his pedigree for these sorts of distances. He currently holds an entry for the Irish Derby, and I don’t think it would be a shock at all if he made a winning debut in this.
Saturday Selections
25/04/26
2.00 Haydock
SYMBOL OF MAJESTY – (4/5) (Win) (NAP)
2.05 Leicester
STRIKE RED – (7/1) (Each-Way)
(4 places – Most firms)
3.40 Navan
THUNDERING ON – (9/2) (Win)
3.55 Leicester
ACT OF GENEROSITY – (11/10) (Win) (NB)
