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Equinties - new targets
BGP Capital
March 18, 2026
Gm, Equinauts
What a beautiful day today, warmest of the year apparently. Be sure to get outside and enjoy it.
Let’s dive in.
HEADLINE ROUNDUP
🥊BULLY BAN
A former work-rider, Adam Howchin, has been handed an eight-month ban after an independent disciplinary panel found that he mistreated a horse and made serious threats toward a colleague at Nottingham racecourse on August 1, 2024.
While preparing SUGARLOAF LENNY for a race, Howchin reportedly fell in the stable yard (lol) and then, clearly embarrassed, reacted by taking it out on the horse by striking the horse multiple times. Typical bully behaviour!
CCTV footage reviewed by the panel suggested he also pulled harshly on the horse’s mouth and handled it aggressively despite the animal behaving calmly. The incident was witnessed by Fred Rimell, who attempted to intervene while assisting his dad with their runner TIGER BEETLE.
The situation then was heightened when Howchin responded to Rimell’s intervention with repeated threats, both before and after the race, including threats that he’d knock him out and that people will be outside waiting by the gates for him.
The panel concluded that Howchin’s actions breached racing conduct rules and although Howchin denied the allegations initially, he later stopped cooperating and did not attend the hearing. In addition to the suspension, he was fined £1,500, and any return to racing employment would require him to serve the full ban.
What a loser.
🎯 NEW TARGETS
Supreme gamble and bridesmaid SOBER GLORY will head to Aintree next month for the Top Novices’ Hurdle where he will test his credentials for next years Champion Hurdle.
He looked the winner of the Supreme the whole way but the last where he almost stacked it:
Another Cheltenham horse whose run has given his trainer options is XC star FINAL ORDERS who bolted up over the unique course on the Wednesday of the Fez:
If he tries to emulate the greats like TIGER ROLL and land the XC - Grand National double, he’d effectively be chucked in for the race as his Cheltenham win was 10lbs better than the weight he’d carry at Aintree. And this is where the conundrum for Cromwell begins because for the 147 he’d run off in the Grand National, he’d run off a measly 138 in the Irish one, making him almost a stone cold certainty.
Where would you send him?
From the British and Irish Grand Nationals to the US one now, it appears JAZZY MATTY might be heading to Far Hills in October. Cian Collins has long been watching Gordon Elliott land success out in the US and Cian thinks the US Grand National will really suit his Cheltenham loving stable star.
We’d be tempted to head out there if he does go. Good excuse to go, isn’t it!?
⏸️ BGC VS FRA
The Betting and Gaming Council have asked the government to tell the Gambling Commission to put a pause on the proposed intro of ‘frictionless’ affordability checks called financial risk assessments (FRA).
While the checks are designed to identify financially vulnerable customers without disrupting most bettors, industry figures argue the reality may be very different.
Estimates suggest hundreds of thousands of racing punters could hit the new thresholds, with a significant portion potentially asked to provide personal financial documents—and many expected to refuse. Critics say this risks creating unnecessary friction despite existing safeguards already being in place.
Apparently there are deep concerns over the reliability of the pilot scheme, particularly around inconsistent data from credit agencies and whether the checks can actually operate without customer intervention and as such, the BHA warn that the changes might push more customers toward unregulated betting markets.
You don’t say. We don’t know any serious punter that can get on anymore. Check this out, if this doesn’t sound the alarm bells…
With no public update from the regulator since mid-2025, the prospect of pressing ahead has concerned the industry. Racing ‘leaders’, for want of a better term, and betting representatives are calling for a more cautious, evidence-led approach that protects consumers without driving activity on to the black market.
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