Plumpton, Sunday 19th April 2026 — Tips & Selections
A seven-race card at Plumpton on good ground, and there are three races worth getting stuck into. The going suits horses who travel fluently and jump cleanly, so stamina plodders who need soft underfoot are at a disadvantage today. Dan Skelton's yard is in outstanding form with 12 winners from 59 runners over the last fortnight, and that stat alone shapes how you approach the maiden hurdle. Let's get into it.
2:52 — Mansell McTaggart Mane Event Maiden Hurdle (2m, Good)
Selection: Loriko (6/4 — Bet365)
This maiden hurdle sets up as a straight fight between the two Skelton runners, and the interesting one is Loriko at 6/4 rather than stablemate Ballyeaston at 11/10. The five-year-old carries an RPR of 130, the highest in the field by some margin, and his form reads 33262 over hurdles. He has been placed consistently and clearly possesses the ability. The yard's 14-day strike rate of 12 from 59 is exceptional and Tristan Durrell has been trusted with the mount here.
Ballyeaston has run five times without winning and his form figures of 23322 suggest a horse who keeps finding one better. The market splits them almost evenly but Loriko's raw rating edges the argument. Good ground suits a horse who travels, and Loriko's hurdle runs suggest he travels well before finding his finishing effort inconsistent. A clear round on a good surface could unlock the win today.
Shutfrontdoor at 13/2 is worth a second glance. The Moore yard is also in fine fettle with six winners from 31 runners, and the mare has form figures of 12F2, with a win on her record. She would be a sensible each-way inclusion in a bigger field, but eight runners means the each-way terms are less attractive at 3 places, 1/5 odds. The Skelton pair dominate the market for good reason.
3:27 — BetGoodwin Sussex Stayers' Handicap Hurdle (3m1f, Good)
Selection: Turndlightsdownlow (4/1 — Bet365 / William Hill)
Eleven runners over three miles on good ground and Sean Bowen takes the ride. That combination alone makes this selection straightforward. Bowen is one of the best in the business and he does not make trips to Plumpton for a schooling exercise. Turndlightsdownlow has form figures of 211222, a horse who simply keeps running into the frame. He has been runner-up four times from his last six starts, which will frustrate punters who backed him to win, but today the track, the ground, and the booking all align.
Martin Keighley has only had two runners in the last fortnight, so the stable-form angle is limited, but Sean Bowen's presence on a 4/1 shot in a competitive handicap carries its own weight. The RPR of 136 and TS of 123 are strong figures for this level.
Fountains Blenheim at 10/1 with Midnite is a possible each-way alternative, and Sam Twiston-Davies knows this track well. However, Anthony Honeyball's yard is misfiring badly at 1 winner from 20 runners in the last fortnight. Hard to trust that form right now.
East India Express at 11/2 has Henderson's name attached but the form reads FP920, which includes a fall, a pulled-up, and a ninth. That is not the profile of a horse to load up on, regardless of the trainer.
4:02 — Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Handicap Chase (3m1f, Good)
Selection: Roe And Co Each-Way (9/2 — Bet365 / William Hill)
The bleeding episode at Fontwell in January was a clear explanation for the pulled-up run and gives this horse a line through that effort entirely. Before that setback, Roe And Co landed a three-timer through November and December, and Jamie Snowden's yard is in serious form right now with 6 winners from 27 runners over the last fortnight. That is a yard firing on all cylinders.
The question is simply whether he returns from a break healthy and ready. Given the explanation for his last run, the answer could well be yes, and at 9/2 in a six-runner field you are getting a fair price about a horse with a recent winning sequence behind him. The each-way angle matters here because Lumi Plugin at 9/4 is likely to take plenty of the market, and if Roe And Co runs a bold race back to his November form, a place return at 1/4 the odds gives you insurance.
Sea Invasion at 5/2 with Bet365 is the other contender for those who want something shorter. Honeyball's stats are poor but Sea Invasion's individual form shows consistency, and Sam Twiston-Davies knows the course. Enjoy d'Allen at 4/1 with an RPR of 124 cannot be entirely ignored either, and Neil King's small yard is running at 3 from 8 over the last fortnight, which is a healthy strike rate.
Today's NAP
Odds: 6/4 — Bet365 (others: 13/8 Midnite, 2.52 Betfair Exchange)
The highest-rated horse in the field at RPR 130, trained by the hottest yard on the card at 12 winners from 59 runners over the last fortnight, on a going that suits a horse who travels. Ballyeaston has had five chances and keeps finishing second or third. Loriko has the ability to go one better and today's conditions give him every opportunity to finally convert.