Good morning. Today’s horse racing action unfolds across three distinct National Hunt cards at Cork, Huntingdon, and Kelso. This briefing provides a comprehensive analytical overview, dissecting the morning’s key market intelligence, the impact of notable non-runners, and the top selections from both expert qualitative analysis and quantitative performance ratings. Our goal is to synthesize these critical data points into a clear and actionable summary for the day ahead.

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1. Market Movers Summary

Analyzing the morning’s betting markets is a crucial strategic exercise. Significant price compressions or drifts can serve as powerful indicators, often signaling underlying stable confidence, the circulation of insider knowledge, or a strong wave of public sentiment. By identifying these patterns early, we can gain vital clues about a horse’s expected performance before the tapes go up.

1.1. Principal Steamers (Horses Shortening in Price)

The following horses have seen the most significant and sustained support in the markets this morning, with their odds shortening by 50% or more. This indicates strong positive sentiment.

• Datsalrightcharlie (12.10 Huntingdon): 9/2 into 2/1

• Wonderful Everyday (3.30 Huntingdon): 11/8 into 8/13

• Sanilam (11.50 Kelso): 5/1 into 9/4

• Al Kalila (1.30 Kelso): 7/4 into 4/5

• Authorized Mission (12.20 Kelso): 11/4 into 11/8

• Guchen (12.10 Huntingdon): 12/1 into 11/2

• River Vale (12.00 Cork): 8/1 into 4/1

1.2. Notable Drifters (Horses Lengthening in Price)

Conversely, these horses have seen their odds lengthen considerably, suggesting a lack of market confidence or strong support for other runners in their respective races.

• Zhanma Enki (12.55 Kelso): 11/2 into 22/1

• Maccarellu (12.42 Huntingdon): 7/2 into 11/1

• Bohemond Antioch (11.50 Kelso): 7/2 into 11/1

• Dawn Coming (11.30 Cork): 14/1 into 40/1

• Bust A Move (1.15 Huntingdon): 12/1 into 33/1

1.3. Market Patterns and Insights

A clear pattern of targeted support has emerged this morning, with the Willie Mullins yard (e.g., Wonderful Everyday, Dani Donadoni) and the Nicky Richards stable (Authorized Mission, La Zoubida) being the primary beneficiaries. This confidence is particularly concentrated at the northern meetings of Huntingdon and Kelso. One notable conflict in the data is the E. Bolger-trained Between Friends (12.00 Cork). Despite a Spotlight selection, the horse has drifted alarmingly from 6/1 to 11/1. This sharp divergence suggests a potential physical issue or a stable planning for a future race, making the horse a high-risk proposition despite the expert tip.

These market dynamics are, of course, influenced by last-minute changes, most notably the withdrawal of key contenders.

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2. Non-Runners Overview

Withdrawals are a critical last-minute factor in race analysis. The absence of a prominent runner, particularly a market leader, can fundamentally alter the pace dynamics, competitive balance, and betting landscape of a race, creating both challenges and opportunities for reappraisal.

2.1. Key Withdrawals by Meeting

The following table details the most impactful non-runners declared today. Please note that official reasons for these withdrawals have not been provided in the source reports.

Race	Horse	Market Impact
12.55 Kelso	Carrig Kate	The withdrawal of this 6/4 market leader significantly reshapes the race. Its absence strengthens the position of main rivals, particularly the well-backed Spotlight selection La Zoubida and the promising Biglesisback.
1.45 Huntingdon	Fern Hill	The removal of the favourite, a prominent front-runner, fundamentally alters the likely pace scenario. This may disadvantage hold-up horses like Isle Of Gold and hand a tactical advantage to those who race on the speed.
12.10 Huntingdon	Dearkeithandkaty	This horse was prominent in the betting (17/2) and the Spotlight selection for the race. Its withdrawal voids the key expert angle and leaves the race without a clear form anchor, making it a far more speculative betting heat.
2.37 Kelso	St Faz	The withdrawal of this Gordon Elliott-trained runner removes a notable contender from one of the day’s feature handicap chases, simplifying the puzzle for the remaining field.

These late changes underscore the importance of integrating race-day information with the pre-analysis offered by expert tipsters.

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3. Spotlight Tips Round-Up

Spotlight verdicts provide a valuable qualitative layer of expert analysis, offering insights beyond the raw numbers. This section summarizes the day’s top selections from the Spotlight team, highlighting where their opinions align or conflict with market sentiment and our quantitative ratings.

3.1. Today’s NAP Selections

The following three horses have been selected as the “nap,” or best bet of the day, by the Spotlight analysts across the three meetings.

• THEANNIVERSARY MAN (3.22 Cork): “Came good at Thurles last month on second run for this yard; further progress is likely; strong chance he can cope with a revised mark.”

• SAINT SAM (3.00 Huntingdon): “Irish raider SAINT SAM (nap) has to rate a major threat with everything in his favour, and especially should he be granted an uncontested lead.”

• DE LEGISLATOR (2.00 Kelso): “The very lightly raced 8yo DE LEGISLATOR (nap) has stayed on strongly to win over 3m at Wetherby and Ayr on his last two starts and could be even better now tackling a marathon trip.”

3.2. Selections Aligning with Market Moves

In these instances, expert opinion and market confidence are in full agreement, creating a powerful consensus that warrants close attention.

• Dani Donadoni (12.31 Cork): A Spotlight Verdict pick who has been heavily backed from 11/8 into 10/11.

• Lumiere Du Large (1.05 Cork): Another Spotlight Verdict selection, strongly supported from 13/8 into 11/10.

• Kala Conti (1.40 Cork): Mentioned by Spotlight as a “main threat” and has seen its price shorten from 4/1 into 9/4.

• La Zoubida (12.55 Kelso): The Spotlight Verdict choice and well-backed from 13/8 into 11/10, a move likely accelerated by the withdrawal of market rival Carrig Kate.

3.3. Notable Omissions and Contrasts

Where expert analysis diverges from market trends or quantitative data, it often points to a more complex and potentially valuable betting race.

• 11.30 Cork: Spotlight “shades it” for KIZYLAR, whereas the data-driven TimeWise ratings top-rate Ole Ole.

• 12.00 Cork: A significant conflict exists here. Spotlight selects BETWEEN FRIENDS, but the market has pushed the horse out from 6/1 to 11/1, and TimeWise rates Rochestown highest of all.

• 11.50 Kelso: Spotlight’s pick is CAMBERWELL. However, TimeWise gives a very strong top rating to Great Fleet, who is also a significant market mover this morning.

These contrasts lead us to a deeper dive into the data-driven perspective provided by the TimeWise ratings.

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4. TimeWise Top Two Rated

TimeWise ratings offer a robust quantitative tool for assessing a horse’s potential based on historical performance data. By focusing on the top-rated runners, we can identify key contenders from a purely statistical standpoint. This section lists the top two rated horses in key races across each meeting.

4.1. Cork

• 11.30 Maiden Hurdle:

    ◦ Ole Ole (243): Top-rated. Spotlight confirms this runner is “in the mix” after a good runner-up effort on Irish debut. Holds a solid market price of 5/1.

    ◦ Dawn Coming (231): Second highest-rated but presents a conflicting signal, having drifted significantly in the market from 14/1 out to 40/1.

• 12.00 Handicap Hurdle:

    ◦ Rochestown (252): Top-rated. The 10-year-old course winner is noted by Spotlight to have “run well fresh in the past” and is priced at 10/1.

    ◦ Halsafari (240): A 12-year-old who won over this course last time out. Has seen some market support (11/1 into 15/2), and Spotlight suggests this runner “can have a say” if in similar form.

• 12.31 Maiden Hurdle:

    ◦ Dani Donadoni (295): An exceptionally high rating of 295 creates a powerful trifecta of support, aligning perfectly with a strong Spotlight verdict and a sustained market move (11/8 into 10/11). This represents the strongest convergence of data on today’s cards.

    ◦ Mahon Falls (248): Second-rated and also a notable market mover (11/2 into 3/1), suggesting this could be a two-horse race on paper.

4.2. Huntingdon

• 12.10 Handicap Hurdle:

    ◦ Datsalrightcharlie (289): Top-rated with a highly positive profile. Spotlight describes this runner as a “leading contender,” which is strongly supported by a significant market move from 9/2 into 2/1.

    ◦ Ilitch (272): Second-rated. Ran a “good fourth” on reappearance and is also considered a contender, attracting market support (17/2 into 13/2).

4.3. Kelso

• 11.50 Maiden Hurdle:

    ◦ Great Fleet (294): A very high rating. Spotlight notes this horse has “stand-out claims on form” and has been heavily backed from 11/10 into 5/6.

    ◦ Sanilam (240): Second-rated. Spotlight highlights the trainer’s excellent record in the race and the horse has had wind surgery. This aligns with a strong market move from 5/1 into 9/4.

• 12.20 Handicap Hurdle:

    ◦ Glen Road (305): An exceptional top rating for this “6yo on the up” who won at Wetherby three weeks ago.

    ◦ Malicash (304): Almost identically rated to the top selection. This runner is also the Spotlight pick, having “bumped into one at Bangor” on its last outing.

Having examined these detailed data points, we can now synthesize our findings into a final summary.

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5. Analyst’s Summary & Key Takeaways

Today’s cards present a study in contrasts. While the northern meetings at Huntingdon and Kelso show a strong consensus across our analytical pillars, the Irish card at Cork is riddled with conflicting signals that warrant extreme caution. The day’s action is further shaped by key non-runners, which have reshaped the competitive landscape in several races and created new opportunities.

• Consensus at Northern Tracks: There is a powerful alignment between TimeWise ratings, Spotlight analysis, and market confidence at Huntingdon and Kelso. Horses such as Datsalrightcharlie (Huntingdon) and Great Fleet (Kelso) are backed by strong figures, positive expert commentary, and significant market support, suggesting a clearer picture for bettors at these meetings.

• Mullins & Richards Yards in Focus: The stables of Willie Mullins and Nicky Richards have been the subject of significant, targeted market support today. Multiple runners from each yard have shortened considerably in price, indicating a high level of expectation from informed sources.

• Non-Runners Reshaping Key Races: The withdrawal of well-fancied horses, most notably market leaders Carrig Kate (Kelso) and Fern Hill (Huntingdon), has created both opportunity and uncertainty. These races have been fundamentally altered and demand a complete reassessment based on the revised fields.