Huntingdon, Thursday 7 May 2026 — Good Ground Tips

Huntingdon, Thursday 7 May 2026 — Good Ground Tips

A six-race card at Huntingdon on good ground, and while the fields are small, there are a handful of genuinely interesting angles worth getting stuck into. The going suits front-runners and horses with proven form on a sound surface, and three meetings here have produced some sharp finishes over the past month. Let's get into it.

1:15 — Virgin Bet Daily Price Boosts "National Hunt" Maiden Hurdle (2m4½f)

Two runners, which means this is essentially a match bet, and the market has it tight. Loriko (8/11, Bet365) is the slight favourite for Dan Skelton, whose yard is firing at a 39% strike rate over the last 14 days, but the form lines here are instructive rather than flattering. He was beaten into second at Plumpton last month as a short-odds favourite on good ground, and that Plumpton maiden is not strong form. There is a point to prove.

Katarcice (11/10, Bet365), trained by Fergal O'Brien, is the call at the prices. He ran second here at Huntingdon on hurdle debut last month over the shorter 2m trip, so the track is already ticked, and this step up to 2m4½f should bring out more. He has placed form from two Irish points and both starts under rules. He already has the course form on good ground, and he is a bigger price than a horse that arguably has more claims at this trip. Take the 11/10.

1:45 — Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Handicap Chase (2m4f)

The standout race on the card, and the form of recent winner Pep Talking (11/4, Bet365/William Hill) demands respect. Billy Aprahamian's gelding bolted up by 10 lengths at Chepstow last month on good to soft ground and now arrives on better going at a course where he has already won. Trip and ground both tick. Seven wins from 17 chase starts is a solid record, and if the handicapper has not reacted harshly, he could do this again. The fly in the ointment is that Gavin Sheehan's booking keeps the confidence up but the trainer's yard is 0/3 in the last fortnight, which is a minor concern.

The pick at the prices, however, is Big Boy Barney Each-Way (13/2, Bet365/William Hill) for Fergal O'Brien. He won a C&D race on good ground in March, then ran a respectable third at Southwell last month. The Spotlight notes he finished tired at Southwell but flags that he will be suited by the return here. O'Brien's yard is ticking along at 4/25 over 14 days, and this horse clearly goes well fresh on sound ground at this track. At 13/2 with two places paid, that each-way return is solid value in a six-runner field where the favourite has questions to answer about the going.

2:45 — Virgin Bet Mares' Handicap Hurdle (2m3½f)

Notnowlinda (6/4, Bet365/William Hill) is the market leader for Dan Skelton, and she ran well in cheekpieces at Uttoxeter last time on ground softer than ideal. Good ground here suits her better, and a Skelton mare freshened up with headgear usually warrants respect. That said, 6/4 in a five-runner mares' handicap is not where the value lives.

The angle is Mary Each-Way (5/1, Bet365/William Hill) for Ian Williams, whose stable has been in decent nick at 4/24 over the last two weeks. Mary won at Warwick on good ground in September, and her run at Stratford last month caught the eye, making ground from off the pace before fading on the run-in. That was on good ground over 2m, a trip probably short of her best. Stepping back up to 2m3½f today is positive, and if Williams reverts to front-running tactics, she has already shown she can dominate at the gallop. At 5/1 with two places on offer, she is the each-way play here.

Mermaids Cave also interests at 4/1 given the C&D win and the fact she is sliding down the weights, but the recent form is patchy and 4/1 in a five-runner field is not generous enough to get too excited.

Today's NAP