2026 Aintree & Doncaster Saturday Preview

The Breeders’ Cup didn’t go as well as hoped. We landed just one place at 40s on the Friday and Saturday was deeply frustrating as we missed out on place money with 33/1, 40/1 and 33/1 shots, who all finished fourth. Hopefully, we get a bit more luck this weekend, Dave Stevos’ 2026 Aintree & Doncaster Saturday preview and tips are below.

1.15 Aintree – William Hill Handicap Chase (Class 3)

Dan Skelton has started the season in red hot form and Kadastral is a warm order for him here. However, he’s the sort of horse I relish taking on. Not only does he lack a run, he’s also had a wind op and to top it off, he’s making his handicap AND chasing debut. Maybe he’ll win but 6/4? Do me a favour.

I’d rather take a chance on one at a much bigger price and the one that fits the bill is Cossack Chach. Trained by Russell and Scudamore, this son of Churchill was formerly trained by Joseph O’Brien, for whom he won a Killarney maiden hurdle and a Sligo beginners’ chase (both 2m1f, good).

Decent Start

Pulled up on his only start for James Moffatt after losing his action, he ran a pretty decent race on his first run for this operation when an 8.75l third in a class 3 handicap at Hexham back in June off a mark of 122. He finished under 2l behind the runner up Parisencore, and he won off 125 at Wetherby last month.

Cossack Chach was given a few months off after that run and finished well beaten on his return at Perth. That was a 2m4f race on soft ground and he was carrying 12 stone, however, and 2m on good will be much more to his liking. Hopefully that Perth run has left him spot on fitness wise, he’s 3lb lower than for his decent run at Hexham and with odds of 40/1 on offer, a small e/w interest is advised.

2026 Aintree & Doncaster Saturday Tip: Cossack Chach e/w @ 40/1

1.45 Aintree – Molyneux Hurdle (Grade 2)

Just five run here so not a betting race for us but it’s a cracking little race. Alexei and Mydaddypaddy were amongst the best hurdlers Britain had to offer last season and they’ll be trying to head off the Irish challenger Mange Tout, who was a G1 winner over C&D last season. Lucky Place might represent a bit of value at around 16s but with just two places on offer I am going to swerve this.

2026 Aintree & Doncaster Saturday Tip: No bet

2.10 Doncaster – Wentworth Stakes (Listed)

We have a big field of 21 fillies and mares declared for this Listed contest and there should be plenty of cut in the ground. As ever, my strategy in these types of races is trying to find a filly or mare at big odds that will be ridden to try and sneak some precious black type and the one I eventually came down on is the James Owen trained Cherry Baker.

By Harry Angel, this 3yo scored in a handicap at Chester back in May (6f, good). On her next start at the same track she was beaten a neck off her revised mark of 85. Hiked up another 4lb, she finished mid-pack at Ascot before running an okay race in a handicap at Yarmouth in September.

Up In Class

James Owen decided it was time to see if his filly could snaffle some black type and she headed to Newmarket for a 6f Listed contest. The bookies priced her up at 150s but she belied those odds to run a cracking race and finish fourth, just 2.75l behind the winner and 2.5l behind Zen Diva, who is a 9/1 shot here.

Behind her were Midnight Tango and Lady Youmzain, both of whom are shorter prices here. Hollie Doyle is 4-22 when riding for James Owen with another 9 top 4 finishes. When riding for The Gredleys, she is 3-14 with another four top 4 finishes. At odds of 50/1, hopefully she can enhance that fine frame hitting strike rate on Cherry Baker.

2026 Aintree & Doncaster Saturday Tip: Cherry Baker e/w @ 50/1 (4 places)

2.45 Doncaster – Gillies Fillies’ Stakes (Listed)

I just can’t let Bay Colony go unbacked here. We were on her at Naas four weeks ago where I fully expected her to nick some black type. After a fine run at Killarney where she came with a storming run from the back to narrowly miss out on third, I was hoping Seamie Heffernan would ride her the same way at Naas.

Instead, Big Money Heff had other ideas. He rode her much more positively and guess what? She faded badly in the closing stages and finished in sixth. It was encouraging that she was backed into 10s from fancy prices so clearly, connections must think she is capable of earning black type and I share that sentiment.

Shane Gray gets a shot at the title tomorrow and as I have mentioned before on the blog, I think he’s a decent pilot. Bay Colony steps up in trip, so surely they’ll revert to riding her more quietly and if they do, hopefully she can stay on well to nick a place at odds of 33/1.

2026 Aintree & Doncaster Saturday Tip: Bay Colony e/w @ 33/1 (4 places) Nb

3.00 Aintree – Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (Class 2)

It feels like a long time ago now, but back in April of last year we landed a lovely touch with Deep Cave at the Grand National meeting. That win came off 129 and since then, he has added two handicap chases to his CV off 135 and 139, the latest one coming at Ascot last December.

In 2026 his form has not been up to the same level but in his defence, he was probably handicapped to the hilt. After a string of poor efforts to finish off last season, he ended up rated 134 and he was well held off that mark on his return to action at Chepstow four weeks ago.

The assessor has eased him another 2lb, so he’s just 3lb above the mark off which he last won over hurdles. I’m hoping he might have needed that and the idea was to use it as a stepping stone towards this more valuable race. Adam Wedge replaces Jack Tudor in the plate and he 8/77 with 21 top 4s when riding for the excellent Christian Williams. At odds of 22/1, hopefully Deep Cave does us another good turn.

2026 Aintree & Doncaster Saturday Tip: Deep Cave e/w @ 22/1 (4 places)

3.25 Doncaster – November Handicap (Class 2)

There’s a few in here we have backed before. My Ebor fancy, Real Dream, is a former C&D winner and didn’t shape too badly at Newbury on his penultimate start (1m5f, gd-fm). He’s down to a mark of 90 and can’t be written off but I would just worry about soft ground for him.

Lord Melbourne was narrowly denied for us at York four weeks ago and he won this in 2024 off 90. With his rider’s claim he’s effectively 3lb lower than he was at York but I think his odds are probably about right on this occasion at 10/1.

Instead, the one I am going to take a chance on is Too Soon. Trained by Jamie & Josh Moore, this son of Too Darn Hot loves soft ground. He won back to back handicaps at Epsom in June and Goodwood in August, both 1m4f on soft/good to soft, and he went up 12lbs for those two victories.

I think connections ran him in a listed at Chester last time in the hope of getting a pound or two back but the assessor didn’t fall for that ploy. However, young Toby Moore’s claim means he is effectively just 2lb higher than when bolting up at Goodwood, after which Gary Moore said this race was the obvious target. At odds of 18/1, Too Soon looks a cracking e/w bet.

2026 Aintree & Doncaster Saturday Tip: Too Soon e/w @ 18/1 (5 places) NAP

-DaveStevos