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
Becher Handicap Chase
Saturday 9th December 2023 (Aintree)
The weather appears to be back to normal now, so we should have no trouble getting the race on. There has been some criticism of.. read more >>Coral Gold Cup
Saturday 2nd December 2023 (Newbury)
On a day featuring Shishkin and Constitution Hill at Newcastle, up to 20 runners are going for a share of £250,000 further south in the.. read more >>Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle
Saturday 25th November 2023 (Haydock)
We’re looking to follow up last week’s excellent Greatwood Hurdle win with Iberico Lord (7/1), this time in Haydock’s Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle. There’s £125,000 in.. read more >>Greatwood Handicap Hurdle
Sunday 19th November 2023 (Cheltenham)
Cheltenham’s three-day November Meeting comes to a close on Sunday. The final day contains the Grade 2 Shloer Chase featuring Jonbon, Edwardstone, Nube Negra and.. read more >>Paddy Power Gold Cup
Saturday 18th November 2023 (Cheltenham)
The £160,000 Paddy Power Gold Cup is our focus on Saturday. Those stuck in the past may be calling this the Mackeson or the Thomas.. read more >>November Handicap
Saturday 11th November 2023 (Newcastle)
With the turf unraceable at Doncaster, the November Handicap is moved to Newcastle much like the 2019 Futurity Trophy. That could be a good move.. read more >>Old Roan Limited Handicap Chase
Saturday 28th October 2023 (Aintree)
The jumps season feels as though it is well and truly back now, even before it is unofficially heralded in as usual with the Charlie.. read more >>Cesarewitch Handicap
Saturday 14th October 2023 (Newmarket)
The £200,000 Cesarewitch is the betting highlight on what is otherwise a major day for the juveniles. Just 40 minutes after the champion two-year-old is.. read more >>Cambridgeshire Handicap
Saturday 30th September 2023 (Newmarket)
The £200,000 Cambridgeshire is the first leg of the famed Autumn Double, with the Cesarewitch Handicap still to come. On a wonderful day of action.. read more >>Ayr Gold Cup
Saturday 23rd September 2023 (Ayr)
It’s September Weekend in Scotland and that means one thing for us; the Ayr Gold Cup. This six-furlong handicap is a belter once again. Worth.. read more >>Portland Handicap
Saturday 16th September 2023 (Doncaster)
Among the intriguing warm-ups to Saturday’s St Leger at Doncaster is the Portland, a famed 5½-furlong handicap. We have a full field of 22 runners.. read more >>Ebor Handicap
Saturday 26th August 2023 (York)
Ebor time is upon us. Despite York hosting the Juddmonte International, Nunthorpe Stakes and Yorkshire Oaks this week, this race still attracts the most attention... read more >>Great St Wilfrid Handicap
Saturday 19th August 2023 (Ripon)
The highlight of Ripon’s season is the Great St Wilfrid Handicap, a 20-runner affair run for £100,000. The field will be spread across the track.. read more >>John Smith’s Cup
Saturday 15th July 2023 (York)
The John Smith’s Cup is back. A huge handicap, this race is run over the Juddmonte International course at 1 mile, 2½ furlongs of York’s.. read more >>Old Newton Cup
Saturday 8th July 2023 (Haydock)
A hugely popular race, the Old Newton Cup is the most valuable race on Haydock’s Saturday card despite the presence of the Group 2 Lancashire.. read more >>Northumberland Plate Handicap
Saturday 1st July 2023 (Newcastle)
The Northumberland Plate will attract huge crowds to within Gosforth Park once again, the £150,000 two-mile handicap being the big betting race of the week... read more >>Golden Gates Handicap
Saturday 24th June 2023 (Ascot)
The last £100,000 Royal Ascot handicap is the Golden Gates, a contest for three-year-olds over one and a quarter miles. It goes without saying that.. read more >>Wokingham Stakes
Saturday 24th June 2023 (Ascot)
The last heritage handicap of the week, though not the last handicap overall, is the Wokingham Stakes over the straight six furlongs. One of the.. read more >>Sandringham Stakes
Friday 23rd June 2023 (Ascot)
What could be simpler than picking out the winner from 29 improving, unfinished three-year-old fillies running the width of Ascot? It’s some task for sure... read more >>Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap
Friday 23rd June 2023 (Ascot)
The Palace of Holyroodhouse is a hell of a way to end the card for punters. On a day when five of the seven races.. read more >>Duke of Edinburgh Stakes
Friday 23rd June 2023 (Ascot)
Another day, another massive Royal Ascot handicap. The Duke of Edinburgh Stakes is a mile and a half handicap for the older horses. Run for.. read more >>Buckingham Palace Handicap
Thursday 22nd June 2023 (Ascot)
The last of our trio of major betting handicaps on day three of Royal Ascot is the Buckingham Palace Stakes. A seven-furlong event, this race.. read more >>King George V Stakes
Thursday 22nd June 2023 (Ascot)
This is a cracking renewal once again. As ever, this 1½-mile handicap for three-year-olds is chock full of unexposed sorts, leaving punters to decide who.. read more >>Britannia Stakes
Thursday 22nd June 2023 (Ascot)
The Britannia is a belter of a race and a hugely difficult one to solve. £120,000 is up for grabs over the straight mile and,.. read more >>Royal Hunt Cup
Wednesday 21st June 2023 (Ascot)
We go over the straight mile at Ascot for the Royal Hunt Cup. 30 runners battle it out for a share of £175,000 in this.. read more >>Kensington Palace Stakes
Wednesday 21st June 2023 (Ascot)
The £100,000 Kensington Palace is run over the round mile for the fillies, with a maximum field of 20 going to post this year. The.. read more >>Ascot Stakes
Tuesday 20th June 2023 (Ascot)
The Ascot Stakes is the first of twelve elite handicaps for us at Royal Ascot this week. As a 2½-mile race, the same distance as.. read more >>Copper Horse Handicap
Tuesday 20th June 2023 (Ascot)
Another staying handicap on day one, another £100,000 in the prize fund and another Willie Mullins hot pot dominates the betting market. This time, we’re.. read more >>Epsom Dash
Saturday 3rd June 2023 (Epsom)
Unusually, the Dash is taking place some two hours after the latest Derby hero is crowned at Epsom. No matter, as this fascinating race will.. read more >>London Gold Cup
Saturday 20th May 2023 (Newbury)
The London Gold Cup is very much a race worth watching, not just for this weekend but for the sake of the middle-distance form going.. read more >>Chester Cup
Saturday 13th May 2023 (Chester)
The historic Chester Cup has been on the schedule since 1824 and is still going very strong indeed. This is one seriously competitive race. Only.. read more >>bet365 Gold Cup
Saturday 29th April 2023 (Sandown Park)
The bet365 Gold Cup is our last Narrowing the Field race of the jumps season, coming as it does on Sandown’s Jumps Finale fixture. There.. read more >>Scottish Grand National
Saturday 22nd April 2023 (Ayr)
Hopefully after last week’s shameful antics there will be no problems around the racecourse at Ayr. As usual, the Scottish Grand National comes hot on.. read more >>Grand National Handicap Chase
Saturday 15th April 2023 (Aintree)
Britain’s single biggest betting event is back; the Grand National at Aintree. Now, it goes without saying that this is our toughest race of the.. read more >>Topham Handicap Chase
Friday 14th April 2023 (Aintree)
This, as ever, is a tough race to whittle down. The Topham, run over the Grand National fences, is staged over 2 miles and 5.. read more >>Red Rum Handicap Chase
Thursday 13th April 2023 (Aintree)
Two miles is the trip on the Mildmay Course for the Red Rum Chase, a Premier Handicap event for formerly a Grade 3. Fourteen of.. read more >>Lincoln Handicap
Saturday 1st April 2023 (Doncaster)
The race that truly heralds the start of the Flat season is back. The £150,000 Lincoln Handicap is run over Doncaster’s straight mile. On the.. read more >>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 >>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 >>Stewards’ Cup
Saturday 30th July 2022 (Goodwood)
The going at Goodwood is likely to remain soft, certainly it will have some juice in the ground, meaning that is one angle we’d had.. 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 >>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 >>