Today / 16.42 Hexham

16.42

Good

Stan Hayhurst Memorial Handicap Chase

  • Prize money: £5281
  • 3m 0f 41y
  • Class 5
  • 7 runners
SKY
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Stan Hayhurst Memorial Handicap Chase

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Chase Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Sunny

Form: /1F-12

Last run: 7 days

W: 12st 0lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 100

Form & Verdict
Better round of jumping in taking a 2m6f Limerick handicap last month (good), and his subsequent Punchestown second off 5lb higher (3m1f, good to yielding) is stronger form still; more on here off topweight but retains lowish mileage for his age; chance.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

13

6th Jun 2026

Good To Yielding

3m 0f 157y

15:00 Punchestown

A Year Older

10st 8lb

J: Ben Harvey

T: Karl Thornton

Looked very limited until springing a 40-1 surprise at Fairyhouse over hurdles (3m2f, yielding) in January, form which has worked out well; fell four out over fences next time but made no mistake in scoring at Limerick 16 days ago, beating Cullenwaine by 0.75l; 5lb rise fine and he should relish this extra distance.

6/1

1st

6

21st May 2026

Good To Yielding

2m 6f 160y

19:48 Limerick

A Year Older

11st 1lb

J: Ben Harvey

T: Karl Thornton

Won Fairyhouse handicap hurdle (3m2f, yielding) in January and was in contention over the same trip when falling four out over fences at Down Royal last time; raised 4lb for that.

6/1

OUR TIP

Form: 2PB-21 D

Last run: 20 days

W: 11st 10lb

9 yo Mare

OR: 96

Form & Verdict
Had two of these behind (including Passengerontheship, one of three next-time winners in the race) when second over C&D in early May (good); easy Kelso success since was the form equal of that effort, if too full of early errors for maximum comfort; career-high mark now.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

4

24th May 2026

Good

2m 7f 96y

Class 5

16:47 Kelso

Killybegs Jet Lady

11st 5lb

J: Alan Doyle

T: Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore

Winning Irish pointer; yet to score under rules but she is proving reliable and comes here after a good second of 13 in 3m handicap chase at Hexham 22 days ago; very much one to consider off an unchanged mark.

5/2

Form: 86-P11 C

Last run: 7 days

W: 11st 6lb

7 yo Gelding

OR: 92

Form & Verdict
Two recent 2m4f wins here (good) owed to the return to positive tactics down in trip; does stay further, though didn't when pulling up behind Killybegs Jet Lady and Dr Shirocco over C&D early last month.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

1st

6

6th Jun 2026

Good

2m 4f 15y

Class 5

17:40 Hexham

Passengerontheship

10st 12lb

J: Jonathan England

T: Sam England

Saw it out well to get off the mark over fences (C&D), beating Out On Her Own by 7l 18 days ago; a 5lb rise looks fair - competitive off similar marks over hurdles - so he'll be a live contender.

7/2

1st

3

19th May 2026

Good To Soft

2m 4f 15y

Class 5

18:50 Hexham

Passengerontheship

10st 11lb

J: Richie McLernon

T: Sam England

Second in three hurdles in early 2025 but is still 0-10 under rules; pulled up here (3m, good) 17 days ago on second chase start in first-time tongue-tie (retained); the jury is out at present.

15/2

Form: 446-34 CD

Last run: 25 days

W: 10st 4lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 76

Form & Verdict
Record of 2-17 around Hexham includes one C&D chase win two years ago (good); hasn't hit the line strongly on any of his three most recent visits, losing second to Killybegs Jet Lady in the middle one of these, and surprising if nothing is going better at the end here.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

7

19th May 2026

Good To Soft

3m 0f 41y

Class 5

19:20 Hexham

Dr Shirocco

10st 2lb

J: Harry Reed

T: Sandy Forster

Veteran without a win since November 2024 but showed there was still fire in the tank when third over C&D 17 days ago; younger rivals may have his measure here, however.

12/1

3rd

10

2nd May 2026

Good

3m 0f 41y

Class 5

19:45 Hexham

Dr Shirocco

10st 5lb

J: Harry Reed

T: Sandy Forster

Has won four chases, including over C&D in May 2024 (good); best recent form has been at Musselburgh and he was below par over C&D last time (good).

14/1

Form: 1P9P/7 C

Last run: 21 days

W: 10st 4lb

11 yo Gelding

OR: 76

Form & Verdict
Winner here in the past, and obviously weighted to strike again off his new career-low mark; just 3-38 over fences, however, and recent return after 14 months off (stable debut) wasn't majorly encouraging.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

10

23rd May 2026

Good To Soft

3m 1f 107y

Class 5

16:30 Cartmel

Croagh Patrick

10st 6lb

J: Sean Quinlan

T: Gillian Boanas

Back on the lowly mark off which he snapped a long losing run in December 2024 at Carlisle (3m2f, soft); remains to be seen what ability remains on this stable debut following 14 months out.

25/1

7

13th Mar 2025

Good To Soft

3m 0f 41y

Class 5

16:22 Hexham

Croagh Patrick

10st 7lb

J: Charlotte Jones

T: Sam England

Got back to winning ways at Carlisle (3m2f) in December but well below par both runs since at Uttoxeter and back at Carlisle; this course winner has something to prove.

14/1

Form: /4U-73

Last run: 19 days

W: 10st 2lb

8 yo Mare

OR: 74

Form & Verdict
2m4f maiden point winner for James Owen three years ago, but recent efforts have reaffirmed that staying that and longer trips is otherwise often beyond her; 3lb drop is not persuasive; tongue tie retained.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

5

25th May 2026

Good To Firm

2m 3f 189y

Class 5

14:00 Huntingdon

She Wont Mind

10st 5lb

J: Harry Reed

T: Tim Reed

Won a point in 2023 but unseated mid-race on chase debut a year ago and recently returned from layoff with ordinary run over hurdles (0-7); tongue-tie is now added.

8/1

7th

10

6th May 2026

Good

2m 4f 189y

Class 5

15:25 Kelso

She Wont Mind

10st 7lb

J: Jamie Hamilton

T: Tim Reed

Point winner in May 2023 (2m4f, good); mainly modest form over hurdles and fences; best watched having been off since last May (bled from the nose).

33/1

Form: 674-63

Last run: 13 days

W: 10st 2lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 72

Form & Verdict
Faring better since the switch to handicap hurdles, if again shaping as if the sharp course was against him when 12l third at Fakenham latest (3m, good); ought to find Hexham a better suit switching to fences, and one half-brother made a winning chase debut.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

3rd

5

31st May 2026

Good

2m 7f 95y

Class 5

14:35 Fakenham

The Kings Soldier

10st 2lb

J: Oscar Palmer

T: Tracey Leeson

Made fairly encouraging handicap debut when keeping-on fourth at Stratford (3m2f, good) last month but was soundly beaten at Uttoxeter (2m7f, good) four weeks ago and it's hard to know what to expect from him here; 2lb out of the weights.

11/2

6th

11

2nd May 2026

Good

2m 7f 70y

Class 5

16:20 Uttoxeter

The Kings Soldier

10st 2lb

J: Liam Harrison

T: Tracey Leeson

Showed much more when fourth of nine finishers up in trip at Stratford (3m2f, good) 13 days ago on his handicap debut following wind surgery; has place claims if he can repeat the dose.

14/1

Betting Forcast

3/1 A Year Older, 7/4 Killybegs Jet Lady, 9/4 Passengerontheship, 10/1 Dr Shirocco, 33/1 Croagh Patrick, 25/1 She Wont Mind, 12/1 The Kings Soldier

Non-runners

Jet Light

Verdict

All three of the form horses are racing off their highest ever marks. Killybegs Jet Lady didn’t look to the manner born even in victory at Kelso last time, whilst Passengerontheship needs to prove able to transfer recent good cheer back to a stayers’ trip. A YEAR OLDER has at least looked a far more assured conveyance win or lose latterly, and gains narrow preference. An improved showing by The King’s Soldier around this stiffer track wouldn’t surprise. [Jeremy Grayson]

Selections

RP RATINGS:

Killybegs Jet Lady

The Times:

Passengerontheship

SPOTLIGHT:

A Year Older

Telegraph:

Passengerontheship

The Guardian:

Passengerontheship

Daily Mail:

Passengerontheship

D Express:

Passengerontheship

POSTDATA:

Killybegs Jet Lady

Daily Mirror:

Killybegs Jet Lady

The Star:

Killybegs Jet Lady

Daily Record:

Killybegs Jet Lady