English/Ire
King’s best bets – 26th February 2026
Sam King is back with two selections on Thursday.
Joel Parkinson and Sue Smith have enjoyed a fine season thus far, landing notable staying chases with the likes of Grand Geste, Konfusion and O'Connell.
They run Onesoc in the Entertain In Style At Wetherby Racecourse Handicap Chase (3.35) at Wetherby this afternoon and whilst his future certainly doesn't lie in staying chases, it wouldn't be surprising were he to prove capable of landing a blow for a team that are operating at a 25% strike rate over the last two weeks.
Sparingly raced for a nine-year-old, Onesoc enjoyed a decent first season for the new combined trainers last year, shaping nicely over hurdles on his comeback at Catterick before landing a Class 5 handicap chase back at the same venue.
He failed to follow up under a penalty at Market Rasen eighteen days later, but the winner went on to score again and boost the form, so that effort doesn't look to bad whatsoever in the context of this grade.
Having not been seen since, it was no shock at all to see him desperately in need of the run at Catterick on his belated reappearance, although it's certainly worth noting that he did show up quite well for a long way before getting really tired on the approach to three out.
It's comforting that he took a sizeable step forward from his first to second start last campaign and if similar were to happen this afternoon, it certainly wouldn't be implausible were this Valirann to put up a bold bid back off a 3lb lower mark.
Onesoc – 1pt Win
Odds – 13/2
There's no doubt that Henry Daly has been out of sorts of late, but he did have a winner at Bangor yesterday and you'd be hard-pressed to rule any of his horses out at Ludlow.
Sandscape might be 0-10 over hurdles but he has shown enough ability to suggest that he's capable of landing a low-grade contest, including when runner-up to the progressive and subsequent winner Tankardstown Diva, who also runs today, at Market Rasen earlier in the season.
He followed that effort up with a decent third back at the same venue a month later and whilst his latest two runs haven't been of the same level, it's interesting that connections now ditch the visor which has been fitted for the last couple of starts.
Furthermore, Henry Daly's horses tend to improve for the switch to chasing and if doing so, then I'm fairly sure that this current mark of 94 could prove well within reach on his chasing debut.
Sandscape – 1pt Win
Odds – 4/1
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