Jaysella’s & Caroline’s Saturday Selections for 2nd May 2026

Jaysella’s Saturday selections from Newmarket & Caroline’s Punchestown Festival Picks

Newmarket

Oddschecker Ellen Chaloner Stakes (Listed) (Fillies & Mares) 1.10
Sky Majesty
Getting off to a winning start on 2,000 Guineas day would be super for me, and I’m hoping that’s with Sky Majesty in the opener. I reckon that William Haggas will have Sky Majesty fully tuned for this Listed Fillies & Mares contest, with the inside draw likely to be a real advantage as Tom Marquand can draw her over to the rail. Richard Hughes’ Sayidah Dariyan is obviously a big danger, with William Buick on board, and having form over Sky Majesty from the Commonwealth Cup at Ascot’s Royal do last year, but I do think this Blue Point filly may have more to come at four. Flora Of Bermuda has gotta be on your list, with George Boughey’s Rosy Affair making sure all the pace is in the low draws, but Sky Majesty is the one that stands out for me.

Betfred Handicap (Heritage Handicap) 1.45
Addison Grey
I’m gonna go for Addison Grey for this Handicap, cos’ I really liked the way he ran on at Newbury last month. Clive Cox’s Havana Grey gelding must come on for that run, and with a bit of pace in the ground on the Rowley Mile, Addison Grey can repeat his course win here, ahead of Andrew Balding’s Double Rush, with both of these well in at the weights. Tom Clover’s Invictus Gold is giving weight away to this pair, so makes up my three, with the unmissable Addison Grey getting my vote.

Betfred Suffolk Stakes (Heritage Handicap) 2.20
Bullet Point (nap)
Straight to the point here, Bullet Point’s gonna make his make his mark in the Suffolk Stakes! He was very good last summer, all bar the Strensall Stakes at York’s Ebor meeting last August, when he was turned out just 48 hours after winning the Clipper Handicap, so I reckon you can put a line through that run, and with April’s course winner Mister Winston carrying a 5lb penalty, Bullet Point should be making the headlines! Karl Burke’s Botanical is well known to us all in the Office, but the Handicapper might have got his grip on ‘im, so I’ve got this down to a straight battle between Mister Winston and Bullet Point. William Haggas and Tom Marquand to score with Bullet Point, who does well here at Headquarters.

HKJC World Pool Palace House Stakes (Group 3) 2.55
Beckford’s Folly
I’ve got this one down as a very open race, but I’ll take an each way gamble on Charlie Appleby’s Beckford’s Folly. Not my usual betting pattern I know, but anything could win this sprint on ground this quick so early on in the season, and Beckford’s Folly must’ve as good a claim as any under super Will Buick? He was going well enough at the 3 furlong pole in the Abernant Stakes here last moth, so I reckon he’ll come on for that first run of this season and if things fall better for him in running, should be thereabouts. Brilliant Australian sprinter Asfoora might just be in need of a run, in my form book, but last year’s winner Rumstar should be right in there, with William Knight’s Frost At Dawn also fancied to be in the mix. My money’s on Beckford’s Folly – a big outside chance as my Saturday gamble!

Betfred 2000 Guineas Stakes (No Geldings) 3.35
Oxagon
There was plenty to like about Oxagon’s win in the Craven here last month, and with John & Thady Gosden in brilliant form right now, that’ll do for me for the 2000 Guineas. Of course, it might have been that the first time cheekpieces did the job, but Oisin Murphy will have his race plan worked out, and with so little rain since that Craven run in the middle of April, should know where he wants Oxagon to be on the track. There’s gonna be plenty of money down for Aidan O’Brien’s Gstaad, and I do rate him on this quick ground as a real threat – I mean….just Oh! So! impressive in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf at Del Mar last November, but are the Ballydoyle runners at their peak just yet? I’m not so sure on recent evidence, so I’m here to be shot down for saying that! The one I do find really interesting is George Boughey’s Bow Echo, who I thought was an outstanding Juvenile, and if he’s trained on could be one of the stars of 2026. Sired by Night Of Thunder, Bow Echo does look the type to emulate his father and be a 2000 Guineas winner, so I’d expect him to be well high in the betting. Equally, Charlie Appleby’s Distant Storm is a Night Of Thunder, so one of these four is winning this, but I’m going with my instinct and saying Oxagon has enough to be a Classic winner under Oisin Murphy!

Punchestown

Palmerstown House Estate Pat Taaffe Handicap Chase (Listed) 3.45
Uhavemeinstitches (nb)
As you might be knowing, I do rate Jonathan Motherway’s Uhavemeinstitches, and back in a Handicap must be the one to beat in this Listed Handicap Hurdle. I really do think he can have this race at his mercy, being unexposed over this trip after just the two starts when not getting past the fourth in the Leinster National, before taking a Grade 3 at Limerick in March. Ben Pauling’s English raider Your Darling is is very much the one to watch, given a break and on better ground, but Uhavemeinstitches must be the one to follow!

SBK Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle (Grade 1) 4.15
Wodhooh
Well, now, I don’t really know what sort of magic dust Gordon Elliott sprinkled on Wodhooh since the move from Sir Michael Stoute’s yard in 2023, but I’ll have some!! I’ll be telling you, the girls at the gym won’t believe it’s me next week with some of that in my bag, so let’s see Wodhooh do it again in the Mares Champion Hurdle! Only beaten once in her last ten races, and that by the marvellous Lossiemouth, I cannot oppose Wodhooh despite Jade de Grugy not having more than a length to find from their clash in the Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. There’s just the four of them, but it’s not a two horse race as Place De La Nation can perform at the highest level, but Wodhooh is a super mare and can win again.

Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle (Grade 1) 4.55
Majolique
I’m going to take a chance on this Champion Four Year Old Hurdle with Majolique, who I marked out for her finish in the Juvenile Hurdle at Fairyhouse last month. She made a bit of a mess of the second last, but had come from the back of the field rounding the home turn, so could have been so close but for that loss of momentum, and I’ll take the chance that with a more prominent ride can be in with a great chance. Triumph Hurdle winner from Cheltenham, Apolon De Charnie, will get plenty of backers, and my Cheltenham selection Saratoga also makes my list, but Majolique has much more to come and gets my vote.