George's 2026 Selection Thread

Blondina, 1pt EW @ 40-1, 12.30 Musselburgh

Juvenile hurdler time again and I'm going to take a chance on Blondina, who has left Jim Bolger's yard rated only 53 on the Flat, down from an initial mark of 62 having seemingly shown little in three handicap starts, however, I thought she shaped better than her finishing position suggested at Navan (10f, good) in April, where from the widest draw in 19, she had to use up some gas to get across into a prominent position in what was a well-run contest, and then having led under 3f out on what might not have been the best part of the track up the inside, she stuck on fairly well after being headed over a furlong out before fading to finish 9th.

She didn't build on this in two further starts for the Bolger yard, perhaps finding the drop in trip to 7.5f at Roscommon against her, however, then came in for market support at Fairyhouse to be sent off favourite in a field of 18, but didn't see her race out.

Her fitness has to be taken on trust back from seven months off and has to show that this game is for her up against male opposition on this first crack over hurdles, but she's joined a small northern yard which is capable of punching about its weight and interesting to see which way she goes for them.

Bernie The Bear, 1pt EW @ 33-1, 5.05 Newcastle (4 PLACES)

Bernie The  Bear is having to race from out of the handicap today but has probably been shaping a bit better than his form figures might suggest in three starts back over C&D since returning from over five months off, particularly if the runs have been needed, having shown up prominently for a fair way on the first two occasions, and then last time when ridden more patiently under Kaiya Fraser, he didn't get a clear run when trying to make headway.

He hasn't won for two years and his overall record would suggest a minor place might be his best hope but a chance is taken each-way at big odds as he may be about to find some form with his fitness now more assured.

Cheers stewy

Good luck George, you did well in 2025

Thanks saddo, mrcombustible and xmoneyx.

Good luck with Magnificent Mel, saddo.

Very best of luck George B.

Hi George,

  Hope you are well,

  I anticipate much fun with your juvenile hurdler p+l and the other aspects of your tipping thread.

  Kind regards

  Chav

George has proven that with selective picks and fair reasoning he can make a tiny ROI. What chance the rest of us?

Not much without real 'info'.

The ROI on the 2024 thread was around 37% but we mustn't allow that to interfere with swiftynifty's selective amnesia, and besides, one's only as good as one's last thread.

I think last year's relatively poor show was down in part to the absence of chav from the thread, he was like my very own 'Mr Motivator' in 2024, when things weren't going well he'd be there to offer words of 'encouragement'.

Merrimack has yet to win on the all-weather but there's surely a win in him on a synthetic surface at some point having run well in defeat on a few occasions notably at Chelmsford, and although he could only finish 8th of 10 here last time, he was drawn and raced wide in that 0-80 contest under a 7lb claimer but wasn't disgraced in the circumstances.

He's eligible for weaker races than this 0-74 hands and heels contest too, but a chance is taken at the odds with some firms offering three places.

he massaged the figures

And btw chav, it's not Don Johnson of Miami Vice fame.

but it is lewis Hamilton the racing driver yeah

Good Luck George in 2026 >>>>

1.2 ir wd on place ...

Cheers Virgin & Freddie.

I did wonder if 5f might suit Merrimack better but the formbook says he's fine at 6f, and might have held on in a lesser grade.

GL, George. I saw Adace win well up the inside at Kempton lto,
3rd and 4th won nto. I'd be tempted over 7f.

Sioux Warrior twice ran well off a 3lb higher mark to make the frame over C&D in October, and then following a lesser run when tried over 7f at Lingfield, he returned here last time to run better than his finishing position of 7th of 9 would suggest having endured a tough trip around the outer.

His revised mark of 60 means he's now eligible for slightly weaker races and the money for the Barron runner with Callum Rodriguez booked looks significant, but Sioux Warrior is evidently capable of running well in this grade and has a handy draw in five to work from.

Yoshimi, 1pt EW @ 20-1, 6.00 Southwell (4 PLACES)

Yoshimi is now 9lb lower in the ratings than when winning over the 6f trip here last January, and is on the verge of being eligible for 0-50 classified stakes, but this 0-55 contest is still represents a slight drop in grade for him, and he's of a little interest at the prices having perhaps run better last time over C&D than his finishing position of 9th (of 14) might suggest in a 0-60 contest having been on the sharp-end in a well-run race where it generally paid to be held up.

This appears a less-competitive handicap so if sent forward again hopefully he won't face the same pace pressure as last time and can at least hang on for a place.

Different Drum, 1pt EW @ 22-1, 8.00 Southwell

Different Drum is in a higher grade than he needs to be in here and it could be that Newcastle, the scene of his only win to date, is more suitable for this gelding who has shown on turf as well as the all-weather that he stays well having made the frame at both Carlisle and Pontefract over trips in excess of two miles. However, I'm going to take a chance each-way at the prices as there should be another win in him off his current mark at some point and he should be approaching peak fitness following two runs back from a break.

He didn't shape too badly up to a point on the first of those two runs at Newcastle in November, and although he could only finish 8th of 10 last time over C&D when sent off at just 9-2, he would have been unsuited by the pedestrian pace of that amateur riders' contest. Hopefully this is more of a test, even if that means him having to set the pace himself under Joanna Mason.

D Flawless, 1pt EW @ 25-1, 3.00 Southwell

D Flawless was kept to 7f / one mile when trained by the Gosdens for whom she won a one mile maiden race at Chelmsford when long odds-on. She didn't really go on for her former yard and three starts for Paul Midgley have seen her mark drop a further 10lb, the first two of which came over 7f on turf, however, there were positives to be taken from her run last time at Newcastle when dropped to 5f, where she led at a fast pace before being headed around a furlong out and gradually weakened to be beaten just under 5L. The runner-up has won a competitive handicap back there since.

This doesn't look easy against some proven c&d useful sorts and she's eligible for much weaker races than this one, but she may have some untapped potential at sprint trips and was initially rated  a stone higher.

Crackinthunder, 1pt EW @ 28-1, 3.35 Southwell (4 PLACES)

Crackinthunder looked sure to be winning races for Jim Goldie when finishing third on his handicap debut at Musselburgh (5f, good) in August, and the first and 4th have won subsequently, however, he's been disappointing since including when tried on the all-weather at Newcastle. It takes a leap of faith to support him again and he's racing from out of the handicap today, but I'm going to take a chance on him at the prices in the hope that being back over an easier 5f may help.

Another Beautiful, 1pt EW @ 50-1, 4.35 Southwell

Another Beautiful hasn't been seen for a nearly a year and wasn't in much form then, however, she's of a little interest running fresh here as it was off a break (albeit a two-month one) in September 2024 when she gave it a good shot from the front under Emma-May Croot to finish a close third in a contest won by a course specialist and which produced subsequent winners.

As that was her turf debut she would have been of more interest back on grass but she has recorded higher RPRs on the all-weather, so while she has to prove some ability remains at the age of six, she is down in the weights and hopefully it's a case of the pause that refreshes.

Relevant Range, 1pt EW @ 16-1, 5.05 Southwell

Relevant Range ended his time in Ireland in poor form so another who has to prove some ability remains, but he's of a little interest starting out for Ivan Furtado on the all-weather in 0-50 classified company as he had a record of a win and two places in maiden company at Dundalk back in the day, and although he subsequently failed to place in four handicap starts at that venue, he did post a creditable fifth of 14 on one occasion (when rated 66) over a trip (10.5f) that might have stretched his stamina.

wd George gl ....