Narrowing The Field
At Narrowing the Field our focus is all about handicap races. Often handicaps have large numbers of runners, so that’s where we come in. We cut the field down to a more manageable size.
Latest Races
Midlands Grand National
Saturday 18th March 2023 (Uttoxeter)
Nationals are notoriously tough, even away from Aintree. The Midlands Grand National is traditionally a very hard race for trainers, jockeys and punters and this.. read more >>County Handicap Hurdle
Friday 17th March 2023 (Cheltenham)
As we reach the last day of the festival, we look at the penultimate handicap of the week, the County Hurdle. £100,000 is the prize.. read more >>Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle
Friday 17th March 2023 (Cheltenham)
This is not only the last big betting handicap of the week, but also the final race of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival. 21 inexperienced jockeys.. read more >>Pertemps Final
Thursday 16th March 2023 (Cheltenham)
We’re moving over to the New Course for day three which brings staying ability more to the fore. The Pertemps Final is run over three.. read more >>Plate Handicap Chase
Thursday 16th March 2023 (Cheltenham)
We’re up to £120,000 for this race, yet another handicap event on the impossible side of difficult for most punters. A 2½-mile chase, the runners.. read more >>Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Handicap Chase
Thursday 16th March 2023 (Cheltenham)
We finish day three with the Kim Muir, a 3¼-mile handicap chase for the amateur jockeys. In terms of trying to narrow this field right.. read more >>Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle
Wednesday 15th March 2023 (Cheltenham)
The Coral Cup is always a spectacle and an incredibly tough betting race. Worth £100,000, with £56k going to the winner, the race features a.. read more >>Grand Annual Challenge Cup Handicap Chase
Wednesday 15th March 2023 (Cheltenham)
We’re going over two miles this time meaning speed on the Old Course remains very much relevant despite the softer going. There are 13 fences.. read more >>Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle
Tuesday 14th March 2023 (Cheltenham)
The good old ‘Fred Winter’, as it is still registered, is always a hard one for us to call. A maximum field of 22 juveniles.. read more >>Ultima Handicap Chase
Tuesday 14th March 2023 (Cheltenham)
The long-awaited first day of the 2023 Cheltenham Festival sees two major handicaps take place. The first of them is this, the Ultima, still known.. read more >>Eider Handicap Chase
Saturday 25th February 2023 (Newcastle)
The Eider Chase at Newcastle should once again be a real test of resilience and stamina. This 4-mile, 1½-furlong test features 26 fences and Newcastle’s notorious.. read more >>Grand National Trial Handicap Chase
Saturday 18th February 2023 (Haydock)
The £100,000 Grand National Trial at Haydock Park should be some spectacle for punters. 15 horses line up on Saturday, taking on 22 fences over.. read more >>Betfair Hurdle
Saturday 11th February 2023 (Newbury)
18 runners are due to go to post for the latest Betfair Hurdle, a hugely competitive handicap over the extended two miles. There is £87,000.. read more >>SkyBet Handicap Chase
Saturday 28th January 2023 (Doncaster)
A very good card at Doncaster on Saturday is highlighted by the valuable Sky Bet Handicap Chase. Just twelve runners from a possible 20 line.. read more >>Peter Marsh Handicap Chase
Saturday 21st January 2023 (Haydock)
Narrowing the field wasn’t actually too difficult this time around. That’s not handicapping arrogance by the way, as there are only six horses declared for.. read more >>Lanzarote Handicap Hurdle
Saturday 14th January 2023 (Kempton Park)
As expected, we have a maximum field of 20 horses set to line up for the 2023 Lanzarote Hurdle, one of the best betting races.. read more >>Paddy Power New Year’s Day Handicap Chase
Sunday 1st January 2023 (Cheltenham)
We have a maximum field of 17 for this race, one many still know as the Fairlawne. There are 17 fences to take around the.. read more >>Welsh Grand National Handicap Chase
Tuesday 27th December 2022 (Chepstow)
The usually fiercely competitive field has been assembled, runners and connections looking to emulate recent winners of this famous race including Elegant Escape, Potters Corner,.. read more >>December Gold Cup Handicap Chase
Saturday 10th December 2022 (Cheltenham)
The £130,000 December Gold Cup is one of the biggest and most important handicap chases this side of the Cheltenham Festival. Run over 2 miles,.. read more >>Becher Handicap Chase
Saturday 3rd December 2022 (Aintree)
The Becher has come around again, a race that seems to herald in jump racing’s Christmas season. This frightfully competitive three-and-a-quarter-mile chase is worth £150,000,.. read more >>Coral Gold Cup
Saturday 26th November 2022 (Newbury)
Our latest seemingly impossibly difficult handicap to decipher is the £250,000 Coral Gold Cup. This race was known as the Hennessy for many a year.. read more >>Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle
Saturday 19th November 2022 (Haydock)
The Stayers’ Hurdle often goes under the radar a little. Other handicaps are arguably bigger, while this one also takes place on the Betfair Chase.. read more >>Greatwood Handicap Hurdle
Sunday 13th November 2022 (Cheltenham)
The £100,000 Greatwood Hurdle always promises to give us a massive challenge as so many trainers bring well handicapped horses to it, and boy this.. read more >>Paddy Power Gold Cup
Saturday 12th November 2022 (Cheltenham)
Another brilliant renewal of this special £160,000, 2½-mile premier handicap chase in which we have a near maximum field of 16 runners. Conceivably, any of.. read more >>November Handicap
Saturday 5th November 2022 (Doncaster)
Despite having already got our teeth into the jumps season, there is still one more major betting handicap on the Flat to attempt to solve.. read more >>Bateaux London Gold Cup Handicap Chase
Saturday 29th October 2022 (Ascot)
It seems like just five minutes ago Ascot was crowning British champions on the Flat, but now it is about to get its jumps season.. read more >>Old Roan Limited Handicap Chase
Saturday 22nd October 2022 (Aintree)
The two-and-a-half-mile Old Roan Chase hasn’t attracted a large field this year, but it is still a very competitive handicap event. With only eight horses.. read more >>Cesarewitch Handicap
Saturday 8th October 2022 (Newmarket)
You have to love the Cesarewitch. Planted right in the middle of Future Champions Weekend, this 2-miile, 2-furlong slog is so different to the rest.. read more >>Ayr Gold Cup
Saturday 17th September 2022 (Ayr)
Another Ayr Gold Cup, another fabulous betting race! The maximum 25 runners line up for this, not that that’s ever in doubt what with two.. read more >>Portland Handicap
Sunday 11th September 2022 (Doncaster)
After Thursday evening’s dreadful news, racing was cancelled on Friday and Saturday. The show must go on though as they say, with the Queen’s favourite.. read more >>Ebor Handicap
Saturday 20th August 2022 (York)
The Ebor Handicap is simply massive. With the three-year-olds having their own race, the preceding Melrose Handicap, only the four-year-olds and over can contest this.. read more >>Stewards’ Cup
Saturday 30th July 2022 (Goodwood)
The Stewards’ Cup has thrown up yet more debate within horse racing this week. The race itself is the usual wonderful, competitive fayre. 28 runners.. read more >>John Smith’s Cup
Saturday 9th July 2022 (York)
A huge £200,000 is up for grabs in the 63rd running of the immensely competitive John Smith’s Cup on the Knavesmire on Saturday. The best.. read more >>Old Newton Cup
Saturday 2nd July 2022 (Haydock)
The mile-and-a-half Old Newton Cup is a terrific, historic race which now serves as the perfect amuse-bouche to the fascinating Coral-Eclipse 20 minutes later. It’s.. read more >>Northumberland Plate Handicap
Saturday 25th June 2022 (Newcastle)
The £150,000 Northumberland Plate is a race of no little historical significance. There are various stories brewing within. Rajinsky looks to go two better than.. read more >>Golden Gates Handicap
Saturday 18th June 2022 (Ascot)
The Golden Gates is our last big betting handicap of the week. The mile-and-a-quarter race is an ideal addition to the schedule here, giving horses.. read more >>Wokingham Stakes
Saturday 18th June 2022 (Ascot)
This is another frightfully competitive Wokingham Stakes, with any number of these horses providing their owners and trainers with confidence. Horses will have been laid.. read more >>Sandringham Stakes
Friday 17th June 2022 (Ascot)
The straight mile, fast ground and fully 29 unexposed fillies tearing up the track make this yet another very tough betting heat. They will all.. read more >>Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap
Friday 17th June 2022 (Ascot)
This is a basket case of a race! 28 three-year-olds, tightly-wound sprinters at that, will be fussing and fighting going in the stalls and many.. read more >>Duke of Edinburgh Stakes
Friday 17th June 2022 (Ascot)
This mile-and-a-half handicap for the older horses should in theory be easier to solve than the one for three-year-olds, but it’s extremely competitive nonetheless. A.. read more >>Buckingham Palace Handicap
Thursday 16th June 2022 (Ascot)
Although some will see this seven-furlong race as pretty much a sprint, the pace will be furious and many will be feeling their exertions up.. read more >>King George V Stakes
Thursday 16th June 2022 (Ascot)
We have a maximum field of 19 on the round course for this 1½-mile handicap for the three-year-olds, and what a contest it looks likely.. read more >>Britannia Stakes
Thursday 16th June 2022 (Ascot)
Every year, this is one of the most difficult races to narrow down. Other 30-runner handicaps exist of course, but few feature an entire field.. read more >>Royal Hunt Cup
Wednesday 15th June 2022 (Ascot)
There’s a cool £175,000 up for grabs in the 30-runner Royal Hunt Cup, won of course last year by Real World who is now a.. read more >>Kensington Palace Stakes
Wednesday 15th June 2022 (Ascot)
We’re on the round mile for the closing race on day two, as the fillies and mares fight for another £100,000 prize pot. A maximum.. read more >>Ascot Stakes
Tuesday 14th June 2022 (Ascot)
The two-and-a-half-mile Ascot Stakes is responsible for £100,000 of the more than £2 million in prize money that is offered on day one of Royal.. read more >>Copper Horse Handicap
Tuesday 14th June 2022 (Ascot)
Our second big staying handicap is a 1¾-mile affair, again for £100,000. Though many of the maximum 16-runner field appear to have some sort of.. read more >>Epsom Dash
Saturday 4th June 2022 (Epsom)
Affectionately known as the ‘Epsom Dash’, this race is the fastest five-furlong sprint in the world. The runners go downhill from the start and for.. read more >>London Gold Cup
Saturday 14th May 2022 (Newbury)
The London Gold Cup on Lockinge Day at Newbury has produced some excellent winners in the past. Group 1 winner Defoe, Group 2 winners Communique.. read more >>Chester Cup
Friday 6th May 2022 (Chester)
We managed to nab the Chester Cup with Falcon Eight last year and we hope to do it again in this year’s great-looking £150,000 renewal... read more >>bet365 Gold Cup
Saturday 23rd April 2022 (Sandown Park)
There’s been some talk this week of returning this race day to a mixed affair. As it is, the Flat takes centre stage on Friday.. read more >>Grand National Handicap Chase
Saturday 9th April 2022 (Aintree)
It’s back! The 40-runner, £1 million Grand National is the race so many of us wait for and we’ve done all the donkey work in.. read more >>Topham Handicap Chase
Friday 8th April 2022 (Aintree)
A fantastically exciting full field of 30 runners go to post for the 2m5f Topham Chase, really whetting the appetite for what is to come.. read more >>Red Rum Handicap Chase
Thursday 7th April 2022 (Aintree)
There’s some £930,000 in prize money on offer at Aintree on Thursday as we kick off Grand National weekend. We’ll have information for both the.. read more >>Scottish Grand National
Saturday 2nd April 2022 (Ayr)
In an unusual twist, the £150,000 Scottish Grand National is staged a week before the National at Aintree this year, something that has given trainers.. read more >>Lincoln Handicap
Saturday 26th March 2022 (Doncaster)
The Lincoln Handicap is the traditional, big-race curtain-raiser for the flat turf season in Britain and as always it looks like a belter of a.. read more >>Silver Cup Handicap Chase
Saturday 18th December 2021 (Ascot)
A field of thirteen has been assembled for this usually fascinating and competitive three-mile handicap chase. Many of these have appeared to have reached their.. read more >>Cambridgeshire Handicap
Saturday 25th September 2021 (Newmarket)
It feels like we’ve only been back on the Rowley Mile for five minutes, but we’ve already reached the first leg of the famous ‘Autumn.. read more >>Great St Wilfrid Handicap
Sunday 15th August 2021 (Ripon)
Ordinarily, there would be a greatly oversubscribed Great St Wilfrid and a consolation race therefore to precede it. This year however the consolation Silver Trophy.. read more >>Silver Wokingham Handicap
Saturday 20th June 2020 (Ascot)
A great addition this year is this consolation race for the Wokingham Stakes, with so many thoroughly capable sprint handicappers denied a run. Here’s our.. read more >>Silver Royal Hunt Cup Handicap
Wednesday 17th June 2020 (Ascot)
Given the requirement for extra races at this year’s royal meeting, it is fantastic to see a consolation race for the Royal Hunt Cup which.. read more >>