Monday Racing Tips: Orkney Blue the one to beat in Ayr opener

| Monday 23rd February 2026, 8:49am

Monday 23rd February 2026, 8:49am

Britain hosts all the racing action on Monday and there are just the three meetings to look forward to, with National Hunt fixtures taking centre stage in the afternoon. Plumpton gets us underway and Ayr's six-race card follows soon after, while the evening action is brought to us under the lights at Wolverhampton.

Amongst my Monday Racing Tips is a Nick Alexander-trained runner who won well last time out and has been excellently placed in Ayr's opener, so a follow-up success could well be on the cards.

Monday Racing Tips - February 23

13:50 Ayr - Orkney Blue @ 3/1
14:25 Ayr - Zamek @ 10/3
15:00 Ayr - Jaccours @ 6/4

*odds correct at time of publication

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13:50 Ayr - Orkney Blue @ 3/1

Alexander's ORKNEY BLUE remains lightly raced under rules and he started off in a bumper at Hexham back in 2024 and he finished second by a neck on that occasion. He was also runner-up in two of his four starts over hurdles.

The most recent of those seconds came here over an extended 2m3f last February and although it took him a couple of starts to get the hang of things over fences, the eight-year-old turned a corner and managed to get off the mark last time out.

The extended three-mile trip clearly suited and Carlisle has a steep incline on the run-in.

Seeing the trip out well, he went on to score by just shy of three lengths and a 6lb rise seems pretty reasonable. There could be plenty more to come from him in handicaps.

13:50 Ayr - Winner

Orkney Blue

3/1

Bet Here

Odds correct at time of publishing.

14:25 Ayr - Zamek @ 10/3

Owners Neil & Alfie Smith's decision to move all their horses away from the Paul Nicholls yard has greatly benefitted Olly Murphy.

He now gets to train €160k ZAMEK and it's only a matter of time until the six-year-old gets off the mark over hurdles.

Whilst the pedigree isn't much to shout about, he is related to a couple of winners and he showed potential when finishing third in a Chepstow bumper on his debut under rules last season.

He showed signs of inexperience, but knuckled down well once the penny dropped.

Second to a fair novice on stable and hurdling debut in November, he's probably been a little disappointing in two subsequent starts, but the step up in trip is likely to suit and you would be hard pressed to find a better opportunity to get off the mark.

14:25 Ayr - Winner

Zamek

10/3

Bet Here

Odds correct at time of publishing.

15:00 Ayr - Jaccours @ 6/4

It could be a good day for Murphy and he runs chasing debutant JACCOURS in this race.

He was comfortably beaten in a couple of bumpers, but showed some promise in maiden and novice hurdle company last term, despite failing to win.

Murphy's gelding returned from a short break at Ffos Las last month and managed to get off the mark in a maiden hurdle at the fifth time of asking.

Handicaps could be the making of him and his dam was a winner over fences, so he should take to the larger obstacles.

Sean Bowen is on board for his regular boss and he'll be determined to fire in more winners, especially after clearing the 200-winner mark for the season already.

This is Jaccours' first start in handicap company and we could see vast improvement here.

15:00 Ayr - Winner

Jaccours

6/4

Bet Here

Odds correct at time of publishing.

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