Setting the Scene: A Proper Nursery Puzzle at Aintree

Now, I know what you're thinking — Tom, you're a jumps man. What are you doing sniffing around a two-year-old flat handicap on a Friday afternoon in September? And fair enough, you've got me there. But here's the thing: the EBF Nursery Handicap series at this time of year is one of the shrewdest betting puzzles on the entire flat calendar, and a man who ignores a good puzzle just because it doesn't involve a fence is no kind of racing man at all.

The Get Home Safe With Thistle Cabs EBF Nursery Handicap Stakes (Class 2) at Aintree on Friday, 18th September 2026 brings together thirteen juvenile runners over six furlongs, with £18,000 in prize money up for grabs and the going reported as Good to Soft. That going description is going to matter enormously, as we'll get to in a moment. For now, let's just say this is a race that rewards those who've done their homework — and punishes those who've just backed the top weight because it sounds impressive. Check the full Aintree racecard for all the details.

The Going and Draw: Where the Race Will Be Won and Lost

Good to Soft at Aintree in September is a proper test for a two-year-old. These are babies, remember — horses who've only been racing since the spring, and soft ground in their legs can expose those who are merely precocious rather than genuinely talented. It will stretch stamina reserves and put a premium on horses who've already proven they can handle cut in the ground.

The draw is fascinating with thirteen runners spread across the track. High draws tend to be disadvantaged over six furlongs at Aintree, particularly when the ground is on the easy side and the pace shapes up down the stands rail. Draws one through five look the place to be, which immediately puts the spotlight on Dontlookanyfurther (1), Deputy Vice (2), Trumpety Trump (3), Siouxperb (4), and Influencer Man (5). Meanwhile, the likes of Tropical Crown (11) and Baddaddan (12) are going to need some serious fortune in running to overcome their wide berths.

Contender-by-Contender Breakdown

Dontlookanyfurther — The Favourite's Case

Dontlookanyfurther sits at the top of the weights on 9-9, rated 91, and carries the distance winner flag that punters love to see. Trained by the Quinn partnership and ridden by Jason Hart, who is as reliable a northern jockey as you'll find, this colt has draw one working in his favour and a jockey who knows how to use a good gate. The Quinns don't run horses without a plan, and this looks very much like a race they've targeted. The concern? Top weight on Good to Soft ground as a two-year-old is no laughing matter, and at 91 the handicapper hasn't been overly generous. He's the one to beat, but I wouldn't be backing him at a short price.

Siouxperb — The Archie Watson Danger

Trained by Archie Watson and ridden by the excellent Daniel Tudhope, Siouxperb is the horse I'd be most worried about if I was in the Dontlookanyfurther camp. Watson is a trainer who absolutely loves a well-placed juvenile, and Tudhope riding at 88 rated off draw four is a very tidy combination. He's a distance winner too, and Tudhope will get him into a lovely position from that gate. Watch him run a big race at a decent price.

Crystal Queen — The Fahey Filly

Trained by Richard and Peter Fahey, Crystal Queen is a filly on 88 rated, ridden by Warren Fentiman from draw nine. The Faheys are masters at placing juveniles, and a filly getting into a Class 2 nursery off 88 suggests there's been some careful placement going on. The draw at nine is not ideal, but Fentiman is an underrated rider who won't panic. The going might just suit a filly who's perhaps shown more resolution than raw speed — watch the market here.

Baddaddan — The Each-Way Outsider

Now here's where it gets interesting. Baddaddan, trained by Richard Spencer and ridden by Saffie Osborne, is wearing a hood (headgear: B) and sits on a mark of 83. He's a distance winner, and Spencer is no mug when it comes to placing horses in the north. The draw at 12 is a problem, no question — but Saffie Osborne is a jockey who rides with her head as much as her hands, and if the pace is strong up front, she might be able to angle him across and pick up the pieces late. At a big enough price, he's each-way material.

Trumpety Trump — Jim Goldie's Wildcard

Trumpety Trump is trained by Jim Goldie, who has been quietly improving his juvenile string over the past couple of seasons, and the colt has the distance winner flag from draw three — a lovely gate. Rated just 80 and carrying 8-12, he's got the lightest weight among the distance winners and could easily be ahead of the handicapper. Lauren Young takes the ride, and she's a young jockey who's been building a very decent book of rides. Don't dismiss him.

Mind Those Steps — The Easterby Contender

Tim Easterby has four runners in this race — Mind Those Steps, Furturra, Turnstile, and Inns And Out — which tells you something about how highly he regards the opportunity. Mind Those Steps is the pick of the quartet, rated 79, wearing a tongue tie, and crucially flagged as a distance winner. David Allan takes the ride from draw seven, which is middling at best, but Easterby's sheer firepower in the race means at least one of his horses will likely run well. The question is which one, and Mind Those Steps looks the most likely candidate.

Value Picks and the Each-Way Angle

In a thirteen-runner nursery handicap on a track where the draw matters and the going adds another layer of uncertainty, the value is rarely found at the top of the market. Here's how I'd break it down:

  • Best Bet: Siouxperb — Watson and Tudhope is a combination that demands respect, and draw four is gold dust in this race.
  • Each-Way Value: Trumpety Trump — low weight, proven distance, good draw, and a trainer quietly on the up.
  • Speculative Punt: Baddaddan — if Saffie Osborne can overcome that wide draw, Spencer's horse could outrun his odds.
  • Market Watch: Crystal Queen — if the Faheys have sharpened her up for this, she could be the biggest danger of all.

Tom's Verdict: The Selection

Right, here it is. I'm going with Siouxperb as my selection for the Get Home Safe With Thistle Cabs EBF Nursery Handicap at Aintree. The combination of Archie Watson's juvenile expertise, Daniel Tudhope's supreme tactical awareness, a proven distance record, and a draw that puts him right in the firing line on Good to Soft ground — it all adds up. He's not the top weight, he's not the headline name, and that suits me just fine. The best bets are rarely the obvious ones.

Dontlookanyfurther will be popular and may well win — Jason Hart is too good a jockey to waste a gate like stall one — but at the prices, I'd rather side with Siouxperb and let the favourite carry the weight of expectation. Each-way on Trumpety Trump to complete the portfolio. Good luck, and don't be afraid of the outsiders — that's where the fun is.

Who is the Favourite for the Get Home Safe With Thistle Cabs EBF Nursery Handicap Stakes?

Dontlookanyfurther is expected to head the market as the top-rated runner on 91, trained by John and Sean Quinn and ridden by Jason Hart from the prime draw of stall one. He carries 9-9 and has already proven himself over the six-furlong trip. However, in a thirteen-runner nursery handicap, market leaders can be vulnerable, and the value may lie elsewhere on the Aintree racecard.

Does the Draw Matter in the Aintree Six-Furlong Nursery Handicap?

Absolutely it does, and significantly so. Over six furlongs at Aintree, particularly on Good to Soft ground, low draws carry a meaningful advantage as runners can access the stands rail and avoid traffic. Stalls one through five are the place to be, which favours Dontlookanyfurther (1), Deputy Vice (2), Trumpety Trump (3), Siouxperb (4), and Influencer Man (5). High-drawn runners like Baddaddan (12) and Tropical Crown (11) face a stiff task to overcome their wider berths.

Which Trainer Has the Best Record in EBF Nursery Handicaps?

In the context of this particular race, Archie Watson and Richard and Peter Fahey are the trainers whose juvenile records demand the most respect. Watson in particular has built a formidable reputation for placing two-year-olds in exactly these types of competitive nursery handicaps, often finding the right race at the right time. Tim Easterby's four-runner presence also cannot be ignored — when a northern trainer saddles four in the same race, at least one is usually primed to run a big race.