Horse Racing Tips: Ocean to flow at Chepstow on Thursday

A busy day of racing awaits across the UK and Ireland on Thursday, with seven meetings taking place across the afternoon and on into the evening. The action gets underway at Hamilton, followed by meetings at Thirsk and Chepstow, before attention turns to four evening fixtures at Leopardstown, Killarney, Epsom and Worcester.
Among my Thursday Horse Racing Tips is a runner from the Gavin Cromwell yard, whose mare is bidding to land back-to-back victories in the Group 3 at Leopardstown.
Horse Racing Tips - Thursday 16 July 2026
- 15:15 Chepstow - Amber Ocean @ 10/3
- 19:10 Leopardstown - Snellen @ 4/1
- 19:37 Worcester - Square D'alboni @ 8/15
*Odds correct at time of publishing
15:15 Chepstow - Amber Ocean @ 10/3
Dr Richard Newland & Jamie Insole's two-year-old Amber Ocean made a highly encouraging debut when finishing second to Amo Racing's Lover Girl at Wolverhampton in April.
The form has worked out well since. The winner followed up on her next start before finishing third in Listed company, while the third-placed Pershaada has gone on to win at Goodwood and produced an excellent fourth place in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot behind Victorious.
Related to several winners, Amber Ocean looks like a naturally speedy type with plenty of scope for improvement.
Returning after a short break, she looks capable of taking another step forward and can go very close to getting off the mark.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
19:10 Leopardstown - Snellen @ 4/1
Snellen produced an excellent performance when finishing second in the Kensington Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot last year before going on to land this race, defeating Purview.
Gavin Cromwell's five-year-old made an encouraging seasonal reappearance when finishing third behind the progressive City Of Memphis over an inadequate trip.
Her latest outing came in the Group 2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot, where she finished a respectable fifth behind Blue Bolt. That form has been given a significant boost, with the winner going on to land a Group 1 at Newmarket last week.
Snellen had several talented rivals behind her at Ascot and a repeat of that performance should see her go very close as she bids to successfully defend her crown.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
19:37 Worcester - Square D'alboni @ 8/15
Rated 108 on the Flat for Ralph Beckett after winning a Listed race at Chantilly in October 2024, Square D'alboni looked like an exciting recruit when joining Dan Skelton's powerful yard.
He made a pleasing hurdles debut when finishing third behind Fire Warning at Newbury before a disappointing effort at Catterick when sent off odds-on.
That run can be forgiven, however, as he was reported to have bled from the nose and was subsequently given a break and underwent a wind operation.
The four-year-old returned to get off the mark at Stratford, travelling strongly throughout and winning with plenty in hand.
While that wasn't the strongest contest, he looked a class above his rivals and there should be plenty more improvement to come. A follow-up victory would come as no surprise.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
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