The Notebook - 16th April 2026

Not every big performance results in a headline victory. Sometimes it is the subtle runs, the late headway, the eye-catching move through the field, or the effort despite unfavourable conditions, that signal a horse ready to strike next time. Here are four runners who caught the eye this week and may be worth adding to your tracker for future races...

Regal Envoy

There was a strong Class 3 handicap at Newmarket on Tuesday, and the 2025 winner Regal Envoy was expected to go well. But when looking through his form, he tends to improve for his first start of the season, and notably, when winning this race last year, he had had a prep run to blow off the cobwebs. This year, he came in after a long break and without a recent run, but his effort was pleasing, and he was probably on the wrong side of the track to threaten the win. Now that this outing is in the books, I expect another step forward next time out, and he will be of serious interest at this level. He has slipped to an attractive mark after a string of lacklustre efforts in late summer, and I’ll be disappointed if a revival isn’t on the cards.

She’s Notjoeking

At the time of writing, it’s been two days since She’s Notjoeking got beaten at Hexham, and I still have no idea how she threw the race away. Well, I do, as she idled badly, but you know what I mean. This is particularly alarming when the best way to ride her is aggressively and from the front. She hit 1.01 in running on the exchanges, scooted a few lengths clear over the last and had the race at her mercy. She also opened at 5/1 and was backed into 2/1 favourite, so there were some burnt fingers along the way. She’s talented, but I think it’s safe to say she got lost taking in the scenic views of Hexham on this occasion.

Selma De Vary

Willie Mullins’ Selma De Vary is beginning to prove costly to follow, but I will die on the hill that she will win a big race next season. Her stable debut in February was excellent, finishing four lengths behind Narsico Has; impressive when you consider most of Mullins' were improving for the run. She was very keen and had a bumpy passage in the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and did well to finish fourth, but I think this Aintree second hurts the most. She is evidently quirky, as she did very little when she hit the front and the winner, Mange Tout, just looked like he understood his assignment a bit better. If played late, I’d fancy Selma De Vary to turn this form around, and we might get to see this at Punchestown.

Alexei

Alexei has been nothing short of a revelation this year and has undoubtedly become one of my favourite horses in training. Not just because I tipped him up at 33/1 for the Champion Hurdle, where he ran a blinder to finish fourth, but because there is so much potential left in him. He loves a strong pace, something to run at, and when he hits the front, he doesn’t do a great deal and still looks a little green under pressure. This indicates that when the penny drops, there could be plenty of improvement still left in him. I didn’t think the two-and-a-half-mile trip at Aintree would suit, but he saw it out well and produced his consistent effort. He might be short of Grade 1 level, but connections will have a lot of fun finding out where his ceiling is.