John Ingles provides an overview of the key things to note on the racing front on Monday.
Three points of interest
O’Neills can enhance their records at Carlisle
Jonjo & A. J. O’Neill have the ‘Hot Trainer’ flag at present and showed their good form with a double from their two runners at Kelso last Friday. They could have another good day in the North at Carlisle where all three of their runners have chances. Jonjo O’Neill began his training career in Cumbria before moving south to Jackdaws Castle but he still likes having runners at Carlisle and his is the leading yard at the track this season with five winners from 22 runners.
Son Jonjo junior has partnered all five of those Carlisle winners this term and only Brian Hughes has ridden more winners at the track in the last five seasons, with O’Neill’s strike rate an impressive 27% during that time.
Both Fortunate Man (14:50) and Diamond Dice (16:30) have claims in handicap chases earlier on the card but the O’Neills’ best chance of a winner could be Broughshane in the concluding handicap hurdle (17:05). He’s been given a break since a productive autumn campaign in handicap hurdles which saw him win at Fontwell and Southwell and finish second at Ffos Las in between. His Southwell success came in a novice contest where he was up with the pace throughout and kept on well to beat Solar System who has twice been successful since. Broughshane has run well fresh before and holds leading claims.
Costello has double chances on ‘rider restricted’ card
Wolverhampton’s card is restricted to jockeys who ‘have ridden 30 or fewer winners in Flat races in Great Britain during a specified period of 12 months’. One rider who only just meets those conditions is veteran Dougie Costello, whose tally in 2024 was 29 winners, plus one more from a dozen rides so far this year. Costello has had a varied career in the saddle, starting out over jumps which brought him a Cheltenham Festival win on Countrywide Flame in the Triumph Hurdle and then switching to the Flat where one of his biggest successes came on Quiet Reflection in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.
From four rides in total at Wolverhampton, Costello looks to have a couple of good chances starting with Overnight Oats for James Owen in the handicap over an extended mile (17:00). The five-year-old has been a prolific winner on the all-weather since joining his current yard, running up a four-timer late last year (three of those wins at Wolverhampton) and winning another twice at Southwell already in 2025. His latest win came in an apprentice race last Friday when coming from last to first and he can make another bold bid off just a pound higher mark here.
Another who’s been in fine form this winter is Ewan Whillans’ mare Back Tomorrow who will be bidding to take her record over Wolverhampton’s six furlongs to four out of five since the start of the year (19:30). She was giving weight away all round when dead-heating in a classified stakes to complete a hat-trick in January but was easy to back in a handicap over the same course and distance last time when having little chance from the rear after a slow start. She’s better judged on earlier form and, like Overnight Oats, is another of Costello’s mounts to top the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings on this card.
Irish Derby entry Bryant can get off mark
Much the most interesting horse for the future on Wolverhampton’s evening card is Bryant for George Scott and owners Amo Racing in the maiden over an extended nine furlongs (17:30). While most of his rivals are unknown quantities, Bryant has the benefit of a race under his belt last year and it will take an above-average newcomer to prevent him getting off the mark at the second attempt.
Bryant was the sole newcomer when making his debut in a valuable maiden at York last October. A tall, good sort, he was the pick on looks beforehand and made a promising debut in difficult conditions for a newcomer as the ground was testing. After threatening briefly two out, Bryant wasn’t given too hard a race in the closing stages and finished fourth of the seven runners, just over five lengths behind promising winner Almeric. He has the Timeform 'small p' attached to his rating to indicate that improvement is expected.
By Wootton Bassett, who is also the sire of Amo Racing’s Champion Stakes winner King of Steel, Bryant has the pedigree of one who will go on to better things. His dam Steip Amach was a smart filly who stayed a mile and a quarter, winning twice in Group 3 company in Ireland for Jim Bolger and later being placed in Group 1 contests in France. Whether or not Bryant ends up taking up his Irish Derby entry in the summer, it’s an indication that connections have high hopes for him this year.
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