A Summer Evening Up North — There's Nothing Quite Like It
My grandfather used to say that a Monday evening at a northern track was the purest form of racing there is. No fanfare, no fashion parade, just honest horses, sharp jockeys and a crowd that actually knows what they're watching. I've never quite shaken that sentiment, and every time I pull up the Hexham racecard for an evening card like tonight's, I feel it all over again.
Hexham is one of those courses that gets under your skin. Perched up in Northumberland with views that make you forget you've had a losing double, it's a track that rewards horses with a genuine engine and jockeys who understand its undulating, quirky nature. Tonight we have seven races spread across the evening, and with the going reported as Standard to Slow, there's plenty to chew over before the first goes to post at 18:15.
Let's get into it.
Going Conditions: What Standard to Slow Means Tonight
Standard to Slow on a flat track in late June is an interesting beast. We've clearly had some rain up in Northumberland recently — not unusual, it must be said — and the ground will be taking a bit more energy out of legs than the horses' connections might ideally want. What does that mean in practice? Horses that have already shown they handle cut in the ground will be at a premium. Keen, free-running types may find the going saps their finishing kick earlier than expected, so those with a strong, staying action and a bit of experience under their belt deserve extra consideration tonight.
For the two-year-old races — and there are two of them on the card — Standard to Slow is worth bearing in mind when assessing debutants. A youngster that's been working beautifully on good ground at home can find slower going a completely different experience. Connections from yards with a strong record on similar surfaces will have an edge.
The Feature Race: 19:45 London Mile Series Qualifier
If you're asking me which race to sit up straight for tonight, it's the 19:45 Class 4 Handicap over a mile — the London Mile Series Qualifier carrying a £12,000 prize. Fourteen runners, a spread of ratings from 77 to 87, and a genuinely competitive field that includes some interesting course and distance performers.
At the top of the weights, Saytarr (rated 87, James Horton) carries the burden of favouritism's expectation, with Daniel Muscutt in the saddle. Muscutt is a jockey who rides with real intelligence — he doesn't panic, he places his horse, and on a track like Hexham where the mile can catch out the unwary, that composure is worth a few pounds in itself. Saytarr has course and distance form to his name, which on Standard to Slow going tonight is a significant tick in the box.
Just below him in the weights, I'm Workin On It (rated 86, Rod Millman) is another with course form, and Pierre-Louis Jamin takes the ride. Millman is a trainer who doesn't send horses long distances for a jolly — if he's made the journey to Hexham, he means business. Watch for this one being produced with a well-timed challenge.
Percy's Lad (rated 85, Daniel & Claire Kubler) is the old boy of the race at eight years old, but he has both course and distance form and Ray Dawson keeps the ride. Horses like Percy's Lad know their job inside out, and on slower going that experience can be the difference. Don't dismiss him on age alone — he's been here before, literally.
Key Runners to Watch Across the Card
18:45 — Fillies' Handicap: Box Clever and Trio
The fillies' handicap at 18:45 over seven furlongs is a wide-open affair with fourteen runners, but two names stand out. Box Clever (rated 70, Jonathan Portman) has distance form and Rob Hornby takes the ride — Hornby is in fine form and is one of those jockeys who seems to find an extra gear when the ground is a little testing. Alongside her, Trio (rated 70, Eve Johnson Houghton) with Charles Bishop aboard is worth a look. Johnson Houghton and Bishop have a productive partnership, and Trio lines up at the top of the weights for the three-year-olds, suggesting connections have confidence she can handle the older fillies.
20:15 — Middle Distance Handicap: Charmaine and Assail
The 20:15 Class 4 over a mile and a quarter (and a bit more, at 1m 2f 219y) is another £12,000 pot and carries London Middle Distance Series Qualifier status. Charmaine (rated 83, James Fanshawe) has both course and distance form, and with Daniel Muscutt again in the saddle, she's a horse that must command respect. Fanshawe horses often come to hand quietly and then produce something on the day. On slower going, her course familiarity is a genuine asset.
Assail (rated 83, David Simcock) also has course form and Silvestre De Sousa takes the ride — a jockey who needs no introduction and who will be well aware of what the track demands.
20:45 — The Stayers' Test: Nelson Gate
The final race of the evening — nearly 1m 8f on Standard to Slow ground — is the kind of stamina examination that separates the genuine stayers from the pretenders. Nelson Gate (rated 58, Gary & Josh Moore) heads the weights and Hector Crouch takes the ride. Crouch is a jockey who has been making steady, impressive progress and he'll be well briefed on how to get the best out of a horse over this marathon trip. With the going as it is, any horse that has shown a liking for cut in the ground and a strong staying pedigree deserves respect.
The Two-Year-Old Races: A Word of Caution and Excitement
The 18:15 novice stakes and the 19:15 maiden are both fascinating puzzles. In the novice, The Monkey King (Ralph Beckett, Hector Crouch) and Abrahamsen (Archie Watson, Pierre-Louis Jamin — who has distance form) are worth noting. In the maiden, Primal (Andrew Balding, Rob Hornby) and Sovereigns High (Ralph Beckett, Hector Crouch) come from yards that know how to have a two-year-old ready. But please — treat these races with the respect they deserve as the unknowns they are. Small stakes, big curiosity.
Best Bets and Ones to Watch
To bring it all together, here's my quick summary for tonight's card at Hexham:
- Best Bet: Saytarr (19:45) — Top-rated, course and distance form, Daniel Muscutt in the saddle. The going suits. Looks the most solid proposition on the card.
- Each-Way Interest: Percy's Lad (19:45) — Course and distance winner, knows the track, and eight-year-olds with this kind of form record don't show up without a chance.
- One to Watch: Charmaine (20:15) — Fanshawe and Muscutt, course and distance form, and the slower ground plays into her strengths.
- Speculative Fancy: I'm Workin On It (19:45) — Rod Millman doesn't travel to Hexham on a whim. Course form noted.
- Novice to Note: Primal (19:15) — Balding and Hornby is a combination that earns automatic respect in a maiden.
It's a lovely seven-race card to while away a Monday evening with. Whether you're watching from the track itself with a pie and a pint, or following along from the sofa, I hope the horses run true and the ground doesn't catch too many out. Check the full Hexham racecard for all the details, and enjoy the racing. Good luck tonight — you'll need a bit of it, but that's rather the point, isn't it.
