A Proper Evening's Entertainment
I've always had a soft spot for Hexham on a Thursday evening. There's something wonderfully civilised about watching horses thunder round that Northumberland track as the sun begins to dip, pint in hand and the week's worries melting away. My old dad used to say that evening racing was when the real horsemen came out to play – away from the Saturday crowds and Sunday punters, just pure racing folk doing what they love best.
Tonight's Hexham racecard lived up to that tradition beautifully. Seven races of proper competitive stuff, with the going described as Standard to Slow after they'd given the track a good rotavating to 120mm depth. That's the kind of detail that tells you the groundstaff take pride in their work – and it showed in the quality of racing we witnessed.
The Novice Stakes Steal the Show
The evening's feature had to be that opening restricted novice stakes at 17:12, and what a field they'd assembled. Twelve runners with some serious talent on show, and when you see names like Oisin Murphy, Rob Hornby, and Rossa Ryan all turning up for a Class 4 at Hexham on a Thursday, you know there's quality in the mix.
Murphy's mount Duidin caught the eye immediately – there's something about the way that man sits on a horse that screams confidence, and he wouldn't be making the trip north without good reason. But it was Rob Hornby aboard Invincible Isaac who really had the punters talking. The horse moved through the field with the kind of authority that suggests there's plenty more to come, and I'd be very surprised if we don't see him pop up in better company before the summer's out.
The 7f novice stakes at 18:15 was another cracker, with fourteen runners going to post. Golden Conqueror under Ray Dawson looked the part in the preliminaries – there's a reason Dawson's been riding so many winners lately, and his confidence was evident. But keep an eye on Langstone with Hornby again in the saddle. That combination is starting to click, and when a jockey and horse gel like that, magic can happen.
Handicap Highlights and Future Stars
The 7f handicap at 17:45 was a proper cavalry charge with fourteen runners, but it was the quality rather than quantity that impressed. Hello Humphrey, Roccobear, and Slack Bob all came into this off the same mark of 65 or thereabouts, setting up what looked like a right royal battle on paper.
What struck me most was seeing Jamie Spencer make the journey up for Personal Pride in that handicap, then again for Flying Squad in the novice stakes. Spencer doesn't travel for the scenery – when he's booking rides at evening meetings, there's usually method in the madness. Both horses are worth keeping on the radar for their next outings.
The mile handicap at 19:15 threw up some fascinating angles too. Sea Founder and Celestias Comet both carrying top weight of 75, but it was the lightly-weighted Emery Down at the bottom of the handicap that had me reaching for my notebook. Sometimes the handicapper gets it wrong, and horses rated in the low 60s can outrun their marks by miles when conditions suit.
Ones to Follow
If I'm being honest – and regular readers know I always am – there were several horses tonight that screamed 'back me next time'. Invincible Isaac tops that list after what looked like a very taking debut performance. Rob Hornby's booking tells its own story, and this one has the makings of a progressive sort.
From the fillies' maiden at 18:45, both Mmmbop (another for Hornby) and Royal Fanfare with Robert Havlin aboard looked like they'd learned plenty from the experience. Fillies' maidens at this time of year are often full of future winners, and both trainers have their string in good nick.
The longer handicap at 20:15 over a mile and three furlongs was always going to sort the wheat from the chaff, and Wedonttellthetruth looked like he'd appreciate every yard of the trip. Ray Dawson's been in tremendous form lately, and this horse could be tailor-made for some of the summer staying handicaps.
Looking Ahead
What I love about evenings like this is spotting the horses that'll be winning better races in a month or two's time. The novices especially caught the eye – there's nothing quite like watching a horse have that lightbulb moment when everything clicks into place.
Several of tonight's runners will no doubt turn up at the summer festivals, probably carrying a few pounds more but with bags more experience. The handicappers will have taken note too, so anyone who backed the winners tonight might want to keep them on side for their next appearances.
As I always tell the grandchildren, racing's about the long game as much as the quick win. Tonight at Hexham reminded us why Thursday evening racing remains one of the sport's great pleasures – proper horses, proper jockeys, and proper competition. What more could an old racing man ask for?
