2026 Ayr & Newbury Saturday Tips

Last weekend we had to make do with one place, but at least it was our NAP Thunderbear at 28s. Dave Stevos’ will be heading off on his holidays in search of some elusive sea bass in the southwest of Ireland for the next two weeks, he’ll be back for the Arc meeting. Hopefully he can sign off with a couple of winners, his 2026 Ayr & Newbury Saturday preview is below.

1.02 Newbury – World Trophy Stakes (Group 3)

As we know, almost anything can win these sprints and while she isn’t the most consistent of horses, if she puts her best hoof forward Azure Angel has the form to figure here.

Yes, she’s been beaten almost a combined distance of 30l on her last two starts but in her defence, she has had excuses. At Goodwood she almost dislodged Danny Tudhope coming out of the stalls and her race was over before it even began. At York she broke okay but the ground was on the soft side so I am willing to put a line through that too.

Before those two runs she ran a cracking race in a Listed at York on good to firm, beaten just 1l into fifth behind Redorange, the 5/1 second favourite here, and she was only a neck behind Starlust, who is the 3/1 favourite. 0.75l behind her was American Affair, who has since won a G2 and was runner up in a G1 at the Curragh last weekend.

At odds of 40/1, it has to be worth backing Azure Angel e/w. Hopefully she’s in the mood.

2026 Ayr & Newbury Saturday Tip: Azure Angel e/w @ 40/1

2.12 Newbury – Mill Reef Stakes (Group 2)

Arapaho Gold has had a tremendous season so far, winning all four starts. He coped perfectly well with the step up to Group 2 company at York last time and the son of Bayside Boy, who won a Listed over C&D on his penultimate start, will be hard to beat.

Hopefully all eight run here and if they do, maybe the return to a sounder surface can help Matteo run into the money. Love Dynasty ended my Kevin Ryan hex in style a couple of weeks ago and back on quicker ground, this son of Coulsty might be able to get a lot closer than the 9.25l he finished behind Arapaho Gold at York when the ground was good to soft.

Before that tame effort, Matteo had won back to back races over 5f at Beverley on good and good to firm ground. Now, maybe the ground wasn’t to blame and he just didn’t stay 6f at York last time, but with odds of 66/1 on offer, it is worth taking the chance that it was the underfoot conditions that was the reason for that below par effort.  

2026 Ayr & Newbury Saturday Tip: Matteo e/w @ 66/1

2.30 Ayr – Ayr Silver Cup Handicap (Class 2)

They say at Ayr that when the ground is quick, you want to be drawn high over 6f and when it’s soft, a low draw is advantageous. So, all we have to do is find one that’s has a single figure draw that goes on soft ground. Easy, right?

After much deliberation, the one I have come down on is Advertised. 3yos have won the last two renewals of this race and I think this son of Advertise could have a big run in him from a nice draw in stall 6.

AW Winner

He won twice last season, over 6f and 7f on the AW at Newcastle. He also ran well on good to firm and good ground as a 2yo and on his penultimate start at Hamilton, he proved he could handle a bit of cut when he was beaten 0.5l over 5f on good to soft ground. That effort came off a mark of 91 and he pitches up off the same rating here.

His latest effort over 5f at Haydock on soft ground wasn’t quite as good but I think he’ll be suited by the step back up to 6f here and looking at how he has been campaigned this year, it looks like Grant Tuer may have targeted this race. At odds of 25/1, Advertised is worth chancing e/w for small stakes.

2026 Ayr & Newbury Saturday Tip: Advertised e/w @ 25/1 (5 places)

3.40 Ayr – Ayr Gold Cup Handicap (Heritage)

We have backed a horse with a low draw in the Silver Cup but I am going to go against the draw bias in the big one. James Tate is in decent form at the moment and he runs Caburn here. Drawn in stall 17, this son of Twilight Son looks potentially well handicapped off a mark of 98 on the form of his Listed effort at Doncaster back in March.

That was the last time he raced on easy ground and he finished off strongly for a 2.25l third behind Aramram. They met off level weights that day and Caburn is now 10lb better off with that rival, so he may be able to reverse that form. He was 1.25l behind the 108 rated Jasour and over 2l ahead of the 109 rated Montassib, so it was a cracking effort.

Cut In The Ground

Interestingly, Tate’s charge was soundly beaten upped to 7f in a handicap on good to firm at Haydock on his next start, after which his trainer stated that his charge needed cut in the ground these days. He then pitched up at Newcastle, dropped back to 6f, and was beaten just 2.5l off 100 after being denied a clear run.

After a two-month break, Caburn returned to Listed company at Newmarket (6f, good) and ran a respectable race to finish a 4.25l fourth. He likely was using that as a stepping stone towards this race and the rain has come for him. Yes, he could be drawn better but you can’t have it all when you are backing horses at big prices. With odds of 25/1 on offer, Caburn is the e/w selection.

2026 Ayr & Newbury Saturday Tip: Caburn e/w @ 25/1 (6 places) NAP

-DaveStevos