Another busy Saturday of horse racing action on the horizon, so be sure to see Andy Newton’s ITV Racing tips and key stats with NINE races spread across Ayr and Newbury.
With all the races covered showing on the weekend ITV Racing schedule on Saturday – including the 2026 Scottish Grand National (3:35pm).
Andy Newton’s ITV Racing Tips: Saturday 18th April 2026 📺🏇
- 1:10 Ayr – TRAPRAIN LAW
- 1:25 Newbury – TOULEEN / ZOOMING
- 1:45 Ayr – DIAMOND DEALER
- 2:00 Newbury – ZAVATERI
- 2:20 Ayr – ALL IN YOU / OOH BETTY
- 2:35 Newbury – AL AASY
- 2:55 Ayr – WORLD OF FORTUNES
- 3:10 Newbury – LINWOOD / SHOUT
- 3:35 Ayr – MONTREGARD / GIT MAKER
🏇Newbury Horse Racing Tips: Andy’s Got A Big ‘Shout’ In The Spring Cup
1:25 Newbury – Dubai Duty Free Stakes (Registered As The Fred Darling Stakes) (Group 3) Cl1 (3yo) 7f ITV
Some promising 3yold fillies on show here – including TOULEEN, who was impressive here at Newbury on her debut last August.
Then built on that to take the scalp of Zanthos at Leicester and despite being a beaten favourite at HQ in the Rockfel Stakes is the call to bounce back.
She hung that day and might not have been suited by the track that day – a winter break and the return to the Berkshire track are a plus.
While the Owen Burrows camp boast a solid 29% SR with their 3yolds at this venue.
Of the rest, the Haggas team are taking their time with Zooming, who was a nice winner last season at Newmarket.
And Ryan Moore catches the eye booked for Catching The Moon.
🥇TOULEEN
🥈ZOOMING
🥉CATCHING THE MOON
Key Stats 📈
- 20/22 – Had won over 6f or 7f before
- 19/22 – Finished in the top three last time out
- 17/22 – Returned 7/1 or shorter in the betting
- 16/22 – Drawn 5 or higher
2:00 Newbury – Watership Down Stud Too Darn Hot Greenham Stakes (Group 3) Cl1 (3yo) 7f ITV
The last horse to win the Greenham and add the 2000 Guineas was the mighty Frankel – so we’ll have to see if that run can be broken this year.
Aidan O’Brien has sent a fair few over to Newmarket and Newbury this week and tries to win this race for the first time with Albert Einstein.
He’s still 8/1 for the 2000 Guineas, but disappointed on his return at the Curragh last month. He’s sure to improve for that – but the just is still out for me.
So, the safer call is to side with ZAVATERI for the Eve Johnson Houghton team.
He had a cracking season last term – with four wins, that climaxed in the National Stakes at the Curragh.
Failed to end on a high when 4th (of 9) in the Dewhurst at Newmarket, but it’s likely his busy 2yold season just caught up with him.
A break can see him get back to winning ways and he’ll head here as the clear top-rated (118) and is running on level terms.
Of the rest, the William Haggas-trained Needle Match was a nice course winner on debut and could have a lot more to come.
🥇ZAVATERI
🥈ALBERT EINSTEIN
🥉NEEDLE MATCH
Key Stats 📈
- 16/22 – Won between 2-4 times before
- 16/22 – Placed favourites
- 15/22 – Came from the top 3 in the betting
- Aidan O’Brien has never won the race
2:35 Newbury – Dubai Duty Free Finest Surprise Stakes (Registered As The John Porter Stakes) (Group 3) Cl1 (4yo+) 1m4f ITV
Convergent will be popular, but has to give weight away to the others, which won’t be easy.
Dante Stakes and Great Voltigeur winner Pride Of Arras has been in-and-out and on his best form is a big player – but maybe it’s better to catch him back at York, where he’s 2-from-2.
Ryan Moore teaming up with the Gosden’s on Lion’s Pride stands out.
But the call is to chance the old-boy AL AASY, who won this race aged 4 in 2021 and is the only CD winner in the field.
Is back aged 9 and it’s interesting the Haggas team are keeping him going – suggesting, despite a flop at Newbury last October he’s still showing up well at home.
He likes Newbury too – with three of his 11 career runs coming at the Berkshire track and has gone well fresh in the past too.
🥇AL AASY
🥈CONVERGENT
🥉LION’S PRIDE
Key Stats 📈
- 21/22 – Aged 6 or younger
- 20/22 – Priced 11/1 or shorter in the betting
- 20/22 – Had won between 2-5 times before
- 20/22 – Had won over 1m4f (or further) before
- 19/22 – Having their first run of the season
- 18/22 – Placed in the top 5 last time out
3:10 Newbury – OLBG Spring Cup Handicap Cl2 (4yo+) 1m ITV
With 26 runners heading to post, then solving the Spring Cup puzzle is going to be tricky.
21 of the last 22 winners were aged 6 or younger, with 19 aged 4 or 5.
James Fanshawe’s Back In Black is shortlisted with a lot of trends going for him.
However, 18 of the last 22 winners had won over a mile before – he’s not as yet but has only tried the trip once to be fair.
Ebt’s Guard won this race in 2025 and likes it here too but is 13lbs higher this time.
So, the two of interest are SHOUT, who was 9th in the Lincoln recently and is 5lbs better off with the winner Urban Lion here.
He’ll be better for the run and Oisin Murphy gets on well with the horse 1-1-4 in the times he’s ridden him.
LINWOOD is the other that stands out – having been very impressive last time at Newmarket – winning by 5 1/2 lengths.
Yes, he’s up 10lbs for that but the second Nibras has franked the form to run well on the AW several times since – including a close-up 5th in the Winter Derby.
🥇SHOUT
🥈LINWOOD
🥉EBT’S GUARD
Key Stats 📈
- 21/22 – Aged 6 or younger
- 19/22 – Aged 4 or 5 years-old
- 19/22 – Won between 2-4 times before (flat)
- 18/22 – Won over at least 1m before
- 17/22 – Rated between 85-98
- Ebt’s Guard (25/1) won the race in 2025
🏇Ayr Horse Racing Tips: Make Git Your Scottish Grand National Best Bet
1:10 Ayr – Scotty Brand Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (Gbb Race) Cl1 (5yo+) 2m½f ITV
Sans Bruit is respected after a bold bid at Aintree last week and was third in this race in 2024 and is 8lbs lower now.
Palacio and the Irish raider Le Nez Cruex for Gavin Cromwell are noted as well.
But TRAPRAIN LAW looks the e/w value, in a race he’s also gone well in before.
Okay, he was pulled-up in this race 12 months ago but was also runner-up n 2024 and is now 4lbs lower.
He’s been running well this season too, including a good third to JPR One at Musselburgh at the end of January.
And has seemingly been kept fresh with this race in mind.
This Russell/Scudamore runner is also the only CD winner in the field and gets in with a featherweight of only 10-4.
🥇TRAPRAIN LAW
🥈SANS BRUIT
🥉PALACIO
Key Stats 📈
- 19/21 – Aged 9 or younger
- 19/21 – Had won between 2-4 times (chase) before
- 18/21 – Returned 8/1 or shorter in the betting
- 4/21– Winning favourites
1:45 Ayr – Cpms Novices’ Champion Handicap Chase (Gbb Race) Cl2 (5yo+) 3m ITV
Having looked as if he ran out of petrol over 3m at Wetherby two runs ago and then winning over 2m5f last time – the step back to 3m is a small worry for DIAMOND DEALER.
However, this Dan Skelton horse has won over 2m 71/2 in the past and is only up 3lbs for that win last time.
So, I think he’ll be okay back up in trip with Ayr an easier (flatter) track too.
This will also only be his sixth run over fences (3 wins) so you feel there will be more sparkle to come from Diamond Dealer.
Of the rest, the Henderson runner Califet En Vol looks worth another crack over 3m.
While recent Hexham scorer Big John Wayne did it well the last day and is only 3lbs higher.
🥇DIAMOND DEALER
🥈BIG JOHN WAYNE
🥉CALIFET EN VOL
Key Stats 📈
- 13/14 – Aged 9 or younger
- 12/14 – Ran in the last 6 weeks
- 10/14 – Aged 6 or 7 years-old
- 3/14 – Winning favourites
2:20 Ayr – Coral Scottish Champion Hurdle (A Limited Handicap) (Grade 2) (GBB Race) Cl1 (4yo+) 2m ITV
It’s a shame last year’s winner Cracking Rhapsody doesn’t run – but we’ve still got last season’s close third OOH BETTY, who looks over-priced.
This mare does have a bit of an ‘in-an-out’ profile but is capable on her day and is back this season rated a pound lower.
She also ran well for much of the way in the County Hurdle last time (9th) – however, is back in trip slightly today on better ground.
Sam Twiston-Davies takes over in the saddle for the first time and having had 11st in this race last season gets in here with just 10st 6lbs.
Tellherthename was also two places behind the selection at Cheltenham – but is a pound worse off. So, I’m not sure why one is 5/2 and the other is 18/1.
Ooh Betty is also good in April – with form that reads 2-2-3.
Of the rest, you feel Tutti Quanti might want it softer, while Tellherthename (first time hood) has a bit to prove for me.
So recent Morebattle Hurdle winner Captain Hugo and the Sean Bowen-ridden Queenie St Clair (up 12lbs) can do best of the rest.
🥇OOH BETTY (e/w)
🥈CAPTAIN HUGO
🥉QUEENIE ST CLAIR
Key Stats 📈
- 19/22 – Aged 7 or younger
- 18/22 – Favourites that finished in the top 3
- 18/22 – Had raced within the last 5 weeks
- 11/22 – Came from outside the top 3 in the betting
2:55 Ayr – UK Greentech Glasgow Seafield Trophy mares’ Handicap Hurdle (Gbb Race) Cl2 (4yo+) 3m½f ITV
Several of these have a fair bit to prove over this 3m trip, including the hat-trick-seeking Skelton runner Twistthenightaway, who has been winning over a bit less.
While she’s also up 6lbs from that last run.
So, the safer call might be to stick with the only proven trip winners – Pinot Rouge, Love Of Neymore and WORLD OF FORTUNES.
With the last-named getting the verdict.
He was a good winner at Kelso in March in a Listed Mares Hurdle and is back into a handicap today with 12st.
But connections are helping on that front with a 7lb claiming rider in the plate (Mr R Sugrue), who I will be honest I know nothing about.
However, what we do know is that she’ll stay the trip well and heads here in winning form.
🥇WORLD OF FORTUNES
🥈LOVE OF NEYMORE
🥉TWISTTHENIGHTAWAY
Key Stats 📈
- 11/12 – Won between 2-3 times over hurdles
- 9/12 – Returned 10/1 or shorter in the betting
- 6 of the last 11 winners aged 6 years-old
- 10 of the last 11 winners aged between 6-8
3:35 Ayr – Coral Scottish Grand National Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) Cl1 (5yo+) 4m ITV
You can see Andy’s in-depth 1-2-3 Scottish Grand National tips here, but here is the short-list.
🥇GIT MAKER (e/w)
🥈MONTREGARD
🥉KING OF ANSWERS
Key Stats 📈
- 22/22 – Ran 57 days or less ago
- 19/22 – Top 6 last time out
- 18/22 – Aged 8 or older
- The last outright winning favourite was in 1999 (Young Kenny, 1999)
