A Grand Day Out Up North

Now look, when people think of Hexham, they think of frosty mornings, big hedges, and hardy jumpers flinging themselves over birch in the depths of winter. And fair enough — that's where this old track earns its reputation. But today? Today Hexham put on its Sunday best for a flat card that, on paper at least, had enough quality to make you sit up straight and pay attention. Seven races, two Group 3s, a £70k series final, and going described as Standard to Slow — which up in Northumberland in early September means the ground had a bit of juice in it. Perfect for the stayers, perhaps a touch testing for the speedballs. Let's get into it.

You can have a full look at what was on offer on the Hexham racecard — but settle in, because I've got opinions and I'm not shy about sharing them.

The Feature Race: September Stakes Group 3 — The One We All Came For

The 14:50 William Hill September Stakes was the centrepiece of the afternoon, and what a field they assembled for it. A £95,000 Group 3 over that stiff mile and three furlongs and a bit — and with the ground on the slow side, stamina was always going to be the name of the game.

Now, all eyes will have been on Gethin, the top-rated runner in the field at 117, partnered by Callum Rodriguez. On ratings he's the one they all had to beat, and that course form flag tells you he's been around this track before. But here's the thing — and I'll say it plainly — top weight in a competitive Group 3 on soft-ish ground is nobody's idea of a free holiday. The question was always whether he'd travel sweetly enough to dominate.

Tornado Alert (Oisin Murphy, rated 116) was the one I had circled before racing. Murphy is in the form of his life and Tornado Alert, without a course or distance flag, was arguably the unknown quantity in the field — the horse that hadn't shown his full hand yet. On ground with a bit of give, a horse with a clean stamina profile can absolutely outrun his rating, and that's the angle I was playing.

Pride of Arras (Rossa Ryan, rated 114) had the distance flag and looked a serious player — Ryan's been in cracking nick all season and this is exactly the kind of horse he gets the best out of. Patient, well-schooled, and suited by a true test. Dubai Future (Jack Mitchell, rated 113) and Almeric (Rob Hornby, rated 112) completed the main market movers, with Constitution Hill (Billy Loughnane, rated 101) — yes, that's a different Constitution Hill, before anyone gets excited — and Warrant Holder (Benoit de la Sayette, rated 111) rounding out the field.

Seven runners, all with something to recommend them. That's a proper Group 3 field, and Hexham deserves credit for attracting it.

The London Mile Series Final — £70k and Plenty of Intrigue

The 14:20 William Hill London Mile Series Final was the race for the punters, and with fourteen qualified runners at a mile on Standard to Slow ground, there was no shortage of angles to work. This is the kind of race that rewards homework — and the kind of race where the form book can get torn up entirely if the pace doesn't suit.

Two Tempting (Rob Hornby, rated 98) was the top-rated runner and carried both course and distance form into the race. In a series final, that experience matters — horses that have qualified through the right races tend to be spot-on for the day, and Two Tempting looked primed. Popmaster (Billy Loughnane, rated 96) was another with course and distance form, and Loughnane is a jockey who absolutely thrives in competitive handicaps — he doesn't panic, he waits, and he delivers.

The one I'd have been watching with a beady eye is The Liffey (Rossa Ryan, rated 91). Now there's a name to warm an Irish heart — and with course, distance, and a Rossa Ryan booking, that's a horse who came into this race in the right shape. Rated 91 in a field topped by 98, there's room to improve, and series finals have a habit of producing shock results when the pace is honest. Keep The Liffey very much in your notebook.

The Sirenia Stakes and the Sprint Merchants

The 15:20 William Hill Sirenia Stakes — another Group 3, this time over six furlongs — brought out a different type of horse entirely. Adaay of Scarlett (Rossa Ryan, rated 106) headed the market on ratings, but the one who intrigued me most was Agamemnon (Finley Marsh, rated 104). Finley Marsh is a young jockey still making his name, and when he gets a live chance in a Group race, he tends not to waste it. Moonrise (Oisin Murphy, rated 100) had the course and distance form to suggest she'd handle conditions, and Murphy doesn't take Group rides for the fun of it — there's always a reason.

Worth noting that Evenfall was a non-runner, which tightened the field nicely. Six furlongs on ground with a bit of cut suits a horse with a high cruising speed rather than pure raw pace — and that's worth remembering when these sprinters pop up again on quicker ground in the weeks ahead.

Ones to Follow — Scribble These Names Down

Right, here's where we earn our keep. A few horses from today's Hexham card that I'd be keeping a very close eye on going forward:

  • The Liffey — Whether she won or not today, a rated-91 horse in a £70k series final with course and distance form is a horse trained and prepared for peak performance. Watch for her in mile handicaps this autumn.
  • An Bradan Feasa (Oisin Murphy, 17:05) — Now there's another Irish name to make you smile. A stayer over one mile seven furlongs and a bit, with a distance flag, on ground with ease — if Murphy fancied this one enough to take the ride, I'd want to know where it runs next. Stayers' series qualifiers can unearth some serious long-term prospects.
  • Primo Lara (Billy Loughnane, 16:30) — Rated just 86 in the Class 3 over a mile and three, this is a horse at the lower end of the weights with Loughnane aboard. That combination in a staying handicap on soft-ish ground is worth a second look next time out.
  • Zighy (Billy Loughnane, 15:55) — Top-rated in the fillies' sprint handicap at 81, with the distance flag. A filly who goes well fresh on a track she knows? That's a profile that can go a long way in sprint series races this autumn.
  • Naval Tribute (Rossa Ryan, 17:05) — Course and distance form, top weight in the stayers' qualifier, and Ryan in the saddle. If this one ran well today, the London Stayers' Series could be very much on the agenda.

A Word on the Jockeys — Quality Throughout

What struck me looking at this card was the sheer quality of the jockey bookings. Oisin Murphy, Rossa Ryan, Billy Loughnane, Rob Hornby — these aren't lads filling in on a quiet Saturday. These are championship-level riders who pick their rides carefully. When Murphy and Ryan are both at Hexham on the same afternoon, you know the prize money and the quality of the horses justified the trip north. That's a good sign for the course and a good sign for the sport.

Young Finley Marsh also caught the eye with two Group race bookings — the Sirenia and the fillies' sprint. He's a name to watch as the season closes out.

Final Thoughts — Hexham Delivered

All told, this was a Saturday card that punched well above its weight. Two Group 3s, a £70k series final, competitive handicaps at every level, and ground that put a genuine premium on stamina and class. Hexham may be better known for its jumping — and come October, we'll be back here talking about novice hurdles and hunter chases — but today the flat boys and girls showed this old track can host a proper afternoon's racing.

Whether your fancy obliged or not, there were horses here today who'll be worth following deep into the autumn. Scribble a few names down, keep an eye on the declarations over the next fortnight, and remember — the best bets are always the ones you've done your homework on. Sláinte.