Horse Racing Tips Monday 25th May 2026
Written by Dan Stanton
Leicester looks a fairly tricky card on Monday with a few races lacking depth, but sometimes those are the meetings where the better betting angles appear. There’s a mix of lightly raced horses that still look open to improvement alongside a few older handicappers that seem to be coming back into form at the right time. A couple also return to what looks like their ideal trip and conditions, which could make a big difference.
13:55 Leicester – PICNIC AT THE RACES DAY RESTRICTED MAIDEN FILLIES’ STAKES (5)
LUNA CELESTE was a beaten favourite last time out but after five months off she wasn’t disgraced and looked like she needed the run. She’s short enough tomorrow but with that recent run now under her belt she will be hard enough to beat for sure.
14:29 Leicester – BRITISH EBF RESTRICTED NOVICE STAKES (4)
ROGUE DEFENCE won nicely on debut and you would expect him to take another step forward here. Billy Loughnane takes the ride and I fully expect him to win this. Newcomer SNAPBACK might be worth a look if there is market confidence behind him.
15:04 Leicester – HEATHER SMALL PLAYS LADIES’ DAY SATURDAY 4th JULY HANDICAP (6)
BACK FROM DUBAI rolled back the years last time out, staying on really nicely after being dropped back in trip to 7f. He did it a shade cosily in the end.
This is a horrible race in fairness and if he can reproduce that run he will go very close again.
15:40 Leicester – SMOOTH RADIO LADIES’ DAY SATURDAY 4th JULY BOOK NOW HANDICAP (5)
Another bad race in fairness and I’m going to side with LOOKS FANTASTIC. He won nicely on his penultimate start and I think you can draw a line through his last run.
There is a really nice piece of form in the book back in March 2025 when he finished 3 lengths behind Superposition from the Ed Dunlop yard, who is now rated 93 on the flat. I think there is more to come from LOOKS FANTASTIC.
16:15 Leicester – GO WEST PLAYS LADIES’ DAY SATURDAY 4th JULY HANDICAP (4)
MYTHICAL BIRD won in style last time out at Lingfield and our nap from last week, Ammooney, who finished second that day, came out and won nicely last week.
I fully expect MYTHICAL BIRD to step forward again and win this.
16:50 Leicester – FOR BEST TICKET DEALS BOOK ONLINE AT LEICESTER-RACECOURSE.CO.UK HANDICAP (3)
I think FIRST LEGION has been slightly unlucky lately and this seems like an easier task. Even though he ran well at Newmarket, I’m not sure the track fully suited him and last time out at York we discovered he is not really a 7f horse.
Back over 6f tomorrow on a track I think he will get on well with, the 5/1 opening show looks a great each-way play with 4 places on offer.
17:23 Leicester – RACING AGAIN TOMORROW APPRENTICE HANDICAP (6)
CLIPSHAM NOBLE showed enough at this track last time out to suggest maybe a win is coming. He settled a bit better and stayed on nicely and now steps up even further in distance.
If he can settle again, I think he has a great chance of running close.
Horse Racing Tips Huntingdon
Written by Bryan Rogers
Huntingdon looks a decent little card with a few small-field races where race tactics could end up playing a huge part. The quicker ground should suit plenty of these and there are a couple of horses dropping to very workable marks, while others look to have ideal conditions to keep progressing. A few favourites look solid enough on paper, but there are still one or two interesting angles at bigger prices throughout the card.
12:30 Huntingdon – ODDSCHECKER FREE BETS CONDITIONAL JOCKEYS’ HANDICAP HURDLE (4)
After running yesterday, if JUGGERNAUT turns up again today it really needs to be opposed. The horse always looks like it’s going to win but somehow never quite gets the job done.
With the ground being quick and the return to hurdles likely to suit, I make ANOTHER DAY OUT a very strong favourite here and he should take race one.
13:00 Huntingdon – GET BEST ODDS WITH ODDSCHECKER HANDICAP CHASE (5)
CRAC DE MEGAUDAIS has dropped 13lb in a year and may finally be ready to strike. His last run was fair enough and returning to better ground could see Gavin Sheehan’s mount go very close here.
13:30 Huntingdon – BET SMARTER WITH ODDSCHECKER+ MAIDEN HURDLE (4)
With a decent flat rating of 70+, SWORD OF WESSEX can take this. The quick ground only adds to his chances and with this not looking the deepest race, he gets the vote.
14:00 Huntingdon – DOWNLOAD THE ODDSCHECKER APP MARES’ HANDICAP CHASE (Qualifier) (5)
LADY JAGO is definitely the best handicapped horse in this race, although any betting movements for KILL THE GROOVE may be interesting.
LADY JAGO’s second last time out suggested a return to form is not far away and for that reason she gets the strong win recommendation here.
14:35 Huntingdon – ODDSCHECKER NOVICES’ HANDICAP HURDLE (5)
Unfortunately KNIGHTON bumped into one last time out and that second at Ludlow should put the horse spot on for this.
This is another small field and KNIGHTON should be winning this comfortably.
15:10 Huntingdon – ODDSCHECKER+ SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE HANDICAP HURDLE (5)
There is not much between TYSON and BELOW THE BELT here and both deserve to be near the top of the market.
BELOW THE BELT just gets the verdict though, as I feel TYSON may have hit his peak for the time being.
Cartmel Racing Tips
Written by Bryan Rogers
Cartmel is one of those tracks where course form and experience around the tight turns count for absolutely loads. Horses that enjoy the unique layout often come back year after year and run big races again, and there are a few on today’s card that look dangerously well handicapped returning to conditions that suit them perfectly. A couple of these also look to be arriving at the right time of year fitness-wise and could take plenty of beating.
13:38 Cartmel – HADWINS MARES’ NOVICES’ HURDLE (4)
The best form in the book here is MIGHTY FLEUR’s run behind the now 132-rated Park Princess.
MIGHTY FLEUR has the potential to keep climbing through the ratings, whereas the rest of the field may just prove to be what they already are. With Sean Bowen taking the ride, she has a great chance of getting the win here.
14:13 Cartmel – JOHNNY & TONY CONNELL MEMORIAL HANDICAP HURDLE (5) (D.I)
EVENWOOD SONOFAGUN has slipped to a very decent mark now and looks ready to come good again at a course where he has a very strong record with multiple wins.
Having dropped 10lb in nearly a year, this now looks the type of race where a big run is on the cards and he rates one of the best bets of the day.
14:48 Cartmel – JOHNNY & TONY CONNELL MEMORIAL HANDICAP HURDLE (5) (D.II)
OUR LAURA B’s trainer does very well at Cartmel, especially when Richie McLernon rides, and she gets the each-way vote here in probably the trickiest race of the day.
OUR LAURA B hasn’t won for a long time but has definitely been competing in stronger races than this.
15:58 Cartmel – HUGH CAVENDISH VETERANS’ HANDICAP CHASE (3)
Micky Bowen has two very well handicapped horses here. STRATAGEM was fancied by the website on Friday but just failed to really get into the race. I do still feel the step up in trip may make STRATAGEM tough to beat.
However, with Sean Bowen riding the other Micky Bowen-trained horse FAIRLAWN FLYER, this looks the right time of year for him and he absolutely loves the track. He just gets the verdict, although STRATAGEM is a live danger.
16:36 Cartmel – MOLSON COORS HANDICAP CHASE (3)
SIR TIVO won this race last year off a mark 6lb lower and absolutely loves the Cartmel track.
With just three rivals to beat, SIR TIVO may get the run of the race and could prove very tough to peg back.
17:11 Cartmel – WARRIOR DOWN HANDICAP CHASE (3)
Dan Skelton looks like he has a very good horse on his hands here and off a mark of 124 may still keep improving, but with that runner likely to be very short odds, we will side with ARTHUR’S QUAY.
He lurks on a dangerous mark and also loves this Cartmel track and this time of year. Having dropped from a mark of 122 to 113 in less than a year, he rates a very strong each-way play.