Home / The latest sports news with betting.co.uk / Horse Racing Betting Tips

Horse Racing Betting Tips - Friday 28 August 2026 - Thirsk

Racing Gav

TwitterDiscord

Racing Tipster

Publish Date: 28/08/2026

Fact checked by: Jordan Noble

Key Points

Today’s betting tip grabbed my attention last time out
The strong pace expected should suit this horse perfectly
He needs to win this to qualify for the Ayr Gold Cup

My selection for Friday runs in the fourth race at Thirsk, which is a Class 3 6f Handicap for horses rated 0-90. I think this horse is a fantastic each way bet at 15/2, and in this article I’ll explain why.

For those who are new here, I publish several free horse racing tips like this one every week. As well as daily betting tips, I also put up antepost picks, plus a Lucky 15 on Saturdays. Beyond my tipping content, you’ll find other articles like educational guides, and big race trends. I also suggest horses and trainers that I think are worth following each month.

Circling back to my antepost selections, be sure to check out my early betting tip for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the 2027 Cheltenham Festival. At the time of writing, this horse is still available at a massive odds of 66/1.

Betting advice

16:00 Thirsk - Veblen Good @ 15/2 (5 places) - 1pt Each Way

At the time of writing, the best horse racing odds for Veblen Good typically stand at 17/2. However, two key elements draw me towards recommending Betfred if you want to back him. Firstly, they are paying five places. Secondly Betfred has a fantastic new customer offer. If you sign up and bet £10, you’ll get £50 in free bets. There’s no better deal out there right now.

Veblen Good can go in again today!

Veblen Good started his campaign this season with an April victory at Pontefract, but despite five further runs, he hasn’t won a race since. However, I think today could be his time to shine again, and in this article, I’ll explain why!

Veblen Good grabbed my attention last time out

Returning to the scene of his April victory, I thought Veblen Good ran a huge race last time out at Pontefract. As per normal he was dropped into the rear of the field, which wasn’t a problem until he was forced to swing wide around the home bend.

At that point I was expecting Veblen Gold to pick up pace and rattle home down the outside. However, his stablemate, Yes I’m Mali, drifted to the right, causing Veblen Good to lose momentum and hang to the left, which left him shut in behind the leaders in the last furlong. But once Daniel Tudhope found him some space and asked for some effort, he flew, but it was too late and he finished in fourth place.

The strong pace expected today will suit Veblen Good perfectly

Generally speaking, Veblen Good is a hold up horse. This tactic comes with its own frustrations at times, and often requires luck in running, but when you see a race like today’s, it can feel like Christmas come early.

I suspect both Jordan Electrics and Woodstock will go forward and hopefully take one another on. It is also likely that Deep Havana, Lord Roxby and Kats Bob won’t be far away from the pace either. Top Warrior, Anyasi, Art Lover, and County Carlow also tend to race prominently too. All of which should ensure that it is a strong gallop.

Veblen Good needs to win this to get into the Ayr Gold Cup

As it stands, there are 240 runners currently entered for the Ayr Gold Cup, but only 25 slots available. As a result, plenty will be left disappointed. Veblen Good is currently number 75, meaning 50 horses would need to drop out for him to run. However, the other option is to win (or at least run a big race in defeat) in which case the handicapper would raise his mark.

Veblen Good’s trainer, David O’Meara, was quoted earlier this month saying:

“I think he’s a talented sprinter and he could well end up running well in something like the Ayr Gold Cup if he gets into it.”

I think that scenario could come to fruition here as there are certainly plenty of positives for Veblen Good today. In addition to the other points already raised, Conor Whitely claims 5lb, which is a big plus, as it brings his weight down to 9st 8lb. There is also the fact that David O’Meara trained Muscika, the 2017 winner of this race, and is generally successful at this track. Veblen Good’s only run here was a very strong third place off this mark, so hopefully he can replicate or improve on that.

Can Veblen Good book his place in the Ayr Gold Cup?

Veblen Good ticks an awful lot of boxes up at Thirsk today. He caught my attention last time out, where I felt his performance far exceeded the official finishing position. The strong pace here today should see him at his best, jockey Conor Whitely claims a valuable 5lb, and with a start from stall 13 he should have plenty of options. With the target of the Ayr Gold Cup pencilled in, he needs to win this race to guarantee a place, so he should be trying his best.

In terms of negatives, Veblen Good was beaten the last four times he ran, and it could happen again. On a similar note, his overall record of 1/11 on Turf is disappointing. Daniel Tudhope’s decision to ride Yes I’m Mali brings an element of doubt too, but then again perhaps his hand was forced because David O’Meara wanted to claim off Veblen Good today.

After assessing all of the factors, including Veblen Good’s 15/2 odds, I think he is worth a solid bet. While I appreciate there are some negatives, there are also a lot of positives, and I’m playing a full 1pt each way.

Open new betting accounts and reap the rewards!

Here are five fantastic free bet offers for horse racing that our panel of recommended bookies currently have available. The rewards for signing up are phenomenal and well worth your time, so be sure to check them out!

Want more RacingGav content? Join my Discord!

While I produce several articles per week for Betting.co.uk, the vast majority of my content is exclusive to members of my Discord server. It’s the only place where you can access all of my betting tips and much more!

The Discord launched back in January 2024 and it’s still going now, so I must be doing something right!

I’m sure you are wondering how much all of this will cost you? Well, it’s just £14.99 per month - less than 50p per day!

Alternatively, you may prefer a longer-term commitment for savings:

Quarterly: £34.99 (saves £9.98)
Bi-Annually: £74.99 (saves £14.95)
Annually: £149.99 (saves £29.89)

I’m so confident that you’ll enjoy the Discord that I offer a 7-day free trial. And I’m also confident that my tips will make a profit, so if you join and don’t make a profit across your first 30 days, I’ll refund your subscription fee!

If you want to know more, my DMs are always open on X – @RacingGav