A Grand Evening Up North

Right, pull up a stool and let me tell you about the evening they put on at Hexham on this fine Wednesday in September. Now, I know what you're thinking — flat racing at Hexham? That's like finding a decent pint in an airport. But don't be fooled, because the Hexham racecard tonight was a proper little card, packed with young horses on the make, a feature handicap worth getting your teeth into, and enough top-drawer jockey talent to make you forget you were watching a midweek evening meeting in Northumberland. Standard to slow going, seven races, and more than a few talking points. Let's get into it.

The Feature Race: Class 4 Handicap at 20:00

The headline act of the evening was the Unibet Supporting Safer Gambling Handicap Stakes over seven furlongs, and with a £12,000 pot up for grabs and a field rated between 78 and 85, this was a proper competitive heat. You had Aigeas (Mason Paetel) heading the weights on 85 with the C flag — course form, which around a track like Hexham matters more than people give it credit for. Right beside him on 84 came Sierra Sands under the always-reliable David Egan, carrying the D for distance form over the seven furlongs, and Shaman Champion with the dangerous Rossa Ryan in the saddle.

Now, Comic Hero at 81 with Oisin Murphy up is the one I'd have been watching like a hawk. C and D flags — course and distance form — and Murphy doesn't travel to evening meetings in the north of England to make up the numbers. When Oisin pitches up somewhere like Hexham on a Wednesday, you'd want to be paying attention. Hardy's Hero under Cieren Fallon at 81 is another I wouldn't be dismissing lightly — Fallon junior has been in cracking nick and he's the sort of rider who finds half a length from somewhere when it matters. This race had the feel of one where the market would be tight, the pace honest on the standard to slow ground, and the winner would be a well-handicapped sort ready to step forward.

The Novice Stakes — Where the Future Stars Hide

If you want to know where the interesting horses are on a card like this, you look at the novice races. And tonight we had two crackers.

The 18:30 EBF Novice Stakes (6f)

Twelve runners over six furlongs in the Unibet 3 Uniboosts A Day/EBF Novice Stakes, and this was a race absolutely dripping with quality and intrigue. William Buick on Al Widyan — I mean, come on. Buick doesn't get out of bed for a horse that isn't going places. Whatever Al Widyan showed in his previous start, the booking of Buick tells you the yard fancies this one to make a statement. Alongside him, Farasan with the brilliant Oisin Murphy in the irons — two of the best flat jockeys in the business, both in the same novice at Hexham. That's not nothing, folks.

The one with a rating already on the board is Sierra Belle — rated 81 and partnered by Rossa Ryan. She comes in with a benchmark, which means she's already shown ability, and Ryan is a jockey who rides with real confidence on a horse he trusts. Stormy Winter (Cieren Fallon) and I Am Royal (Billy Loughnane) also caught the eye on paper. Loughnane has been one of the finds of the last couple of seasons and he rides with a maturity beyond his years. Keep the notebook out for whoever won this — they'll be back, and likely in better company.

The 19:00 EBF Novice Stakes (1m 2f)

The staying novice over a mile and two furlongs plus change was a smaller field but no less interesting. Fortitudine with William Buick again — and this time with C and D flags already against the name. So Buick's on a horse that has already shown it handles this course and this trip. That's a significant pointer. Shadow Road (David Egan) also carries C and D, while No Ordinary Joe (David Probert) has the C flag. Brave Hunter comes in with a rating of 80 under Billy Loughnane, which makes him the one to measure the others against. If any of the unrated runners beat Brave Hunter comfortably, you're looking at something potentially very useful indeed.

Ones to Follow — Circle These Names

Here's where I put my neck on the line, as any good racing man should. Based purely on the entries, the jockey bookings, and the flags on the card tonight, here are my horses to follow from this evening at Hexham:

  • Al Widyan — Buick doesn't go north on a Wednesday for the craic. Watch where this one turns up next.
  • Fortitudine — Course and distance form, Buick again, staying novice. This horse could be very well placed for a step up in class.
  • Comic Hero — Oisin Murphy, C and D flags, 81 rating. The profile of a horse that could be well handicapped. Follow him wherever he goes next.
  • Sierra Belle — Rated 81 in a novice, that means she's done enough already. Ryan rides her with purpose and she could be one for a Listed entry before the season is out.
  • Brave Hunter — The 80-rated benchmark in the staying novice. If he ran well, he's a solid yardstick. If he got beaten, the winner is something special.

The Apprentice Race and the Fillies' Handicap — Supporting Cast Worth Watching

The opening Apprentice Handicap at 17:30 over seven furlongs had Something Coming heading the weights at 69 under Olivia Tubb, with Bundok and Unionville close behind. On standard to slow going, the D-flagged runners — Musical Soldier, Chapman's Peak, and Superstorm — all had the going form to recommend them. Chapman's Peak carries both C and D flags, which in an apprentice race where the margins are small, could be decisive. These lower-grade apprentice races are where you find the rough diamonds before the handicapper catches up with them.

The Fillies' Handicap at 19:30 — a London Sprint Series Qualifier, no less — had Oisin Murphy on Remi Mae (rated 65) as the interesting booking. Murphy on a 65-rated filly in a Class 5 sprint? Either she's ready to go up a gear, or connections are using this as a confidence run before something bigger. Either way, Zoustar Dreams (Billy Loughnane, rated 70) and Got The Booty (Rossa Ryan, rated 70) shared top weight and both are worth keeping an eye on as the sprint series hots up through autumn.

Looking Ahead — Where Do These Horses Go Next?

The beauty of an evening card like this in early September is that it's a launching pad. The novice winners from tonight will likely be aimed at something more prestigious before the flat season wraps up — think conditions races, Listed entries, or a step into Class 2 or 3 company at a track like York, Newmarket, or Haydock. The horses who run well in defeat here — particularly those beaten by less than a length — are the ones the handicapper might not punish too harshly, and they could be well-treated for their next start.

For the handicappers — particularly anything that ran well in the Class 4 feature — keep an eye on the autumn handicap programme. Going standard to slow at Hexham in September is decent preparation for the softer ground that comes with October and November, and a horse that handles these conditions now could be a very live contender when the ground gets testing elsewhere.

Final Word from the Paddock

All in all, Hexham delivered a fine evening's sport. It might not be Cheltenham or Ascot, but there's something genuinely enjoyable about a card where the jockeys are top drawer, the novice races carry real intrigue, and you've got a competitive feature handicap to round off the night. The Hexham racecard tonight was one of those cards where the notebook gets a proper workout. Al Widyan, Fortitudine, Comic Hero — write those names down and we'll see how smart we all were come October. Now, who's getting the next round in?