This week’s top picks from the Daily Express’ tipster. (Image: Daily Express)
Melissa, aka The Scout, is the current Racing Post National Press Challenge champion after she led the field of 11 tipsters to the finish in 2025. The stamina-sapping competition was based on more than 9,600 selections throughout the year. A good final furlong helped her cause, but Melissa has maintained her form – and set a new record by finishing top of the standings for a fourth month on the trot in February before tipping this year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Gaelic Warrior.
After three winners from five selections to run last week, our tipster gives us her horses to follow over the next seven days…
MARINE NATIONALE (6.05) is fancied to retain his title in the Grade One William Hill Champion Chase as the Punchestown Festival gets underway this afternoon.
Barry Connell’s stable star skipped his double bid at Cheltenham last month after he ran out of time to recover from a slight setback.
While he has been in his stable in County Kildare, the spring weather has really kicked in and produced ideal conditions for his highly anticipated return to the track.
Marine Nationale quickened clear on his favoured playing surface a year ago, and he now faces two strong contenders from the Willie Mullins camp in Il Etait Temps and Majborough.
But cheekpieces can help drive my selection’s concentration levels early on in the two-mile contest at a track where he remains undefeated in three types of races.
I have been waiting for the Nicky Henderson-trained KHRISMA (3.40) to line up in a big field handicap on decent terrain – and she is one of 21 runners in the Listed Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle.
Nicky Henderson’s trainee has had excuses the two times she did not deliver in the core jumps season and remains very well-handicapped on the pick of her form.
Khrisma ran an excellent race against the geldings at this meeting last year, rallying strongly from a late error, and if all the pieces finally fit the jigsaw, I hope she can go one place better.
On Wednesday, my Cheltenham Gold Cup hero GAELIC WARRIOR (6.05) can fend off stablemate Fact To File in the Ladbrokes Punchestown version, several months on from their thrilling one-two in the John Durkan at the County Kildare circuit.
GLENS ANTHEM (6.35) is an interesting contender for the Grade Three Weatherbys General Stud Book Irish EBF Mares Flat Race.
She was bred by Fiona McStay from her tough-as-teak 12-time winner Glens Melody, who benefited from Annie Power’s dramatic exit in the 2015 Mares’ Hurdle at Prestbury Park.
The dam was versatile with regard to going, and Glen’s Anthem gave McStay and the Mullins team plenty to get excited about when she booted away for a seven-length supremacy in a Navan bumper last month.
Jockey Patrick Mullins said his father Willie had been hoping she would end up in this week’s event and retain the partnership amid a strong stable entry.
Marine Nationale celebrating after winning at Cheltenham last year. (Image: Getty)
Bath is given Brighton’s original fixture on the same day, where fans of the seaside track CHOURMO (5.50) have slipped to an appealing mark after twice racing to first there over ten furlongs on summer ground.
I’ll be watching closely when the George Boughey-saddled Protection Act starts off for the season, as five winners have come out of the Haydock novice he took on his only start.
He holds an entry in Friday’s Listed JCB Newmarket Stakes, but Boughey’s go-to jockey, Billy Loughnane, is already booked for POSEIDON’S WARRIOR (2.20) with Will Buick on duty at Ascot.
The son of Sea The Stars was one of my previous picks for this column, and he picked up nicely late on in the Feilden Stakes after finding himself short of room and a gear change.
If trackers are for you, SABER STRIKE is worth an inclusion, as he held a 2,000 Guineas entry after spreading his Redcar opponents right out on debut last November.
William Haggas does not feel he is quite ready for a mile against the best yet, and the two options this week are carrying a winner’s penalty at Kempton on Thursday or trying a Listed company at Newmarket the following day.