The Somerville Lodge team get straight back into full swing following the week long break, with the AW horses well entered up this week, starting Monday at Newcastle.
In terms of our profit this year it has been good despite a stuttering finish caused mainly by the 2yo’s being slow to come to hand and the awful record, the worse in memory, by the runners sent overseas, which is normally a highly reliable source of profits. Add to this, missing out on three or four big handicap winners in the final weeks and there is clearly scope for improvement.
The yard has already stated that they will be retaining more older horses in 2026 and for the rest of this year and into next I will be slightly changing the betting strategy focusing more on groups of selected horses and following them through their campaigns. Backing them with an aim of securing profits on a horse by horse basis and increasing overall profits in 2026. I will provide detailed write ups for each horse so everyone can follow and increase the enjoyment.
I will not now comment on every runner but followers can be assured any horse i back from the yard will be discussed in detail. This service will remain Free for 2026.
I have selected three or four for the AW campaign over the winter and the first of them Maelstrom runs in the 6.10 at Newcastle.
The 3yo is still an entire owned by the Cheveley Park Stud. That in itself suggests there is scope for plenty of improvement from the son of Night of Thunder, as a general rule , the world class owner breeders, sell the colts at the end of their 3yo seasons. That looked to be the case with Maelstrom as he was entered in the Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale at the end of the season but was withdrawn a few days before the sale at the end of October.
Out of Dark Angel he is bred by Cheveley Park along lines that have produced, the smart fillies Audience and Kinswoman.
Two of the three colts in the bloodline won on the AW and Kinswoman ran with credit on artificial surfaces last winter.
He has only had 8 career runs. A leggy colt he was typically, given time to develop as a 2yo, running three times in September and October, running with promise on his last outing at Redcar, finishing 3rd and earning a handicap mark of 68.
He quickly left that mark behind winning his first three races as a 3yo completing the hat trick in just 4 weeks which saw the mark rise to 84. He was then pitched into a Class 2 handicap at York in June , where on lightning fast ground he was taken off his feet finishing 7th beaten just over 4L. That run left its mark and he was given a break.
We didn’t see him on the track until late October on Soft Ground in a Class 3 at Newbury, where despite the absence he was sent off favourite in a field of 18. He ran well behind a big improver in Top Warrior, although It looked like the run was badly needed.
He has been dropped a 1lb for this race, which is restricted to riders with less than 30 winners in the year to October 2025 which enables Harry Burns, who will have ridden him in his home work to claim 3. He is drawn, only ok, in stall 6 in the field of 14.
The pace to the race will come from those drawn high and that does create a degree of jeopardy as there is a tendency at the track for horses to group up near the stand rail, approaching the final furlong, looking for gaps behind the pacesetters.
This is the start of what could be a highly productive winter campaign for Maelstrom who has the scope to win races in the 90’s and justify the decision of the owners to retain him for his 4yo campaign.
It is his first run on the surface and that tricky draw, plus a lurker in the shape of Uncle Don does require a level of caution and I will stake 1pt ew with four places available. I do anticipate larger stakes on his next outing if all goes to plan on Monday.
Recommended Bet 1pt EW Maelstrom 6.10 Newcastle BOG 1-4 places
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