Happy Retirement Maurice & Anne Barnes Handicap Hurdle (Div II)

Hexham

16:30

Date 2026-04-13

Distance 2m4f28y

Class Class 5

Going Good

Type Hurdle

Surface Turf

Age Band 4yo+

Prize £4,806

Weather Clear

Temp 0.6°C

Wind 4mph SW

Rain 0%

Winning Time 5m 10.55s (slow by 12.55s)

Result

Pos	Horse	SP	Btn
1st	Gardener (FR) Charlie Maggs · Mike Sowersby	9/2	Won
2nd	My Boy Christy (IRE) Peter Kavanagh · Ewan Whillans	22/1	.5
3rd	Highbury Hill (GB) Murray Dodd · Nigel Hawke	4/1	14
4th	Our Laura B (IRE) Richie McLernon · Ben Haslam	7/2F	1.25
5th	Kool Raoul (FR) Gregor Walkingshaw · Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore	4/1	12
6th	Blended Stealth (GB) James Best · Lizzie Quinlan	40/1	9.5

Non-Runners / Other

Status	Horse	SP
P.U.	Eric Carmen (IRE) Benjamin Macey · Gary Hanmer	11/1
P.U.	Tantivy Vavoom (IRE) Theo Gillard · Ruth Jefferson	8/1
P.U.	Wise Move (IRE) Jonathon Bewley · George Bewley	17/2

Runners (10)

EW Terms: 3 places, ¼ odds (standard bookmaker terms — may vary)

#	Horse	Jockey / Trainer	Wt	Gear	Form	OR	RPR	TS	Last	Crs	Dst	Val	Scr	EW	Odds
6	Our Laura B Bay J:Richie McLernon T:Ben Haslam	J:Richie McLernon T:Ben Haslam	159	—	-PP3P5	95	104	69	19d	0W/0P 1 run	0W/0P 1 run	-3	17	0.88/1	7/2 22%
No win since May 2023 but, following a wind op, not far away in two of last three starts
3	Gardener Bay J:Charlie Maggs(3) T:Mike Sowersby	J:Charlie Maggs(3) T:Mike Sowersby	166	t	U03331	102	107	102	19d	1W/1P 1 run	1W/1P 1 run	+13	33.7	0.88/1	7/2 22%
Three 3rds before a tenacious C&D win (soft) in 14-runner race last time; back up 4lb
2	Kool Raoul Bay J:Gregor Walkingshaw(10) T:Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore	J:Gregor Walkingshaw(10) T:Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore	168	p	223578	104	110	91	24d	—	—	+3	20.4	1.13/1	9/2 18%
No impact in his three handicaps; now 4lb lower than his opening mark; headgear enlisted
4	Highbury Hill Bay J:Murray Dodd(7) T:Nigel Hawke	J:Murray Dodd(7) T:Nigel Hawke	164	—	-23715	100	108	81	45d	—	—	+10	25.8	1.13/1	9/2 18%
Off the mark at Chepstow (2m3f, soft) in January; inconsistent, tailed off on latest start
7	Wise Move Bay J:Jonathon Bewley T:George Bewley	J:Jonathon Bewley T:George Bewley	156	h	45254P	92	107	97	19d	—	—	+4	13.2	2.00/1	8/1 11%
Second on Boxing Day (2m4f, soft); not so good on next two outings and ran poorly latest
5	Tantivy Vavoom Bay J:Theo Gillard T:Ruth Jefferson	J:Theo Gillard T:Ruth Jefferson	161	—	1-P764	97	94	79	41d	—	0W/0P 1 run	+12	21.3	2.50/1	10/1 9%
Needs big improvement but handicap debut means she requires a second look
8	Eric Carmen Bay J:Benjamin Macey(5) T:Gary Hanmer	J:Benjamin Macey(5) T:Gary Hanmer	153	tp	131126	89	104	78	23d	—	—	+16	24	2.75/1	11/1 8%
In cracking form until 25l defeat on latest start; maybe good ground was not soft enough
9	My Boy Christy Bay J:Peter Kavanagh T:Ewan Whillans	J:Peter Kavanagh T:Ewan Whillans	147	p	0-4057	83	97	89	25d	—	—	+5	9.6	5.00/1	20/1 5%
Big overall improvement is required but return of cheekpieces offers a little hope
10	Blended Stealth Bay J:James Best T:Lizzie Quinlan	J:James Best T:Lizzie Quinlan	142	b	F54P54	78	100	63	9d	—	—	+5	7.8	8.25/1	33/1 3%
1-39 over hurdles and today's position from 7lb out of the handicap makes things tough
NR	Be The Difference Bay J:TBC T:Philip Kirby	J: T:Philip Kirby	168	—	11163P	104	108	89	62d	—	—	—	19.1	—	—
Soft-ground hat-trick in November/December but has gone off the boil; bad mistake latest

Horse	bet365	Coral	Virgin Bet
Our Laura B	10/3	7/2	7/2
Gardener	7/2	10/3	10/3
Kool Raoul	9/2	4/1	9/2
Highbury Hill	9/2	9/2	9/2
Wise Move	8/1	8/1	8/1
Tantivy Vavoom	10/1	9/1	10/1
Eric Carmen	11/1	11/1	11/1
My Boy Christy	20/1	18/1	18/1
Blended Stealth	28/1	33/1	33/1
Be The Difference	-	-	-

Predictor

Scored on Official Rating (max 30), Recent Form (max 25), and Market Odds (max 20). Max score: 75.

1st

Gardener

33.7

OR: 13 Form: 14.5 Odds: 6.2

7/2

2nd

Highbury Hill

25.8

OR: 12.5 Form: 8.9 Odds: 4.4

9/2

3rd

Eric Carmen

OR: 9.8 Form: 12.1 Odds: 2.1

11/1

Tantivy Vavoom

21.3

OR: 11.8 Form: 7 Odds: 2.5

10/1

Kool Raoul

20.4

OR: 13.5 Form: 1.9 Odds: 5

9/2

Be The Difference

19.1

OR: 13.5 Form: 5.6 Odds: 0

—

Our Laura B

OR: 11.3 Form: 0 Odds: 5.7

7/2

Wise Move

13.2

OR: 10.5 Form: 0 Odds: 2.7

8/1

My Boy Christy

9.6

OR: 8.3 Form: 0 Odds: 1.4

20/1

Blended Stealth

7.8

OR: 7 Form: 0 Odds: 0.8

33/1

Ratings

Horse	OR	RPR	TS
Kool Raoul	104	110	91
Be The Difference	104	108	89
Gardener	102	107	102
Highbury Hill	100	108	81
Tantivy Vavoom	97	94	79
Our Laura B	95	104	69
Wise Move	92	107	97
Eric Carmen	89	104	78
My Boy Christy	83	97	89
Blended Stealth	78	100	63

Last Run

Horse	Last Run	Status
Blended Stealth	9d ago	Quick return
Our Laura B	19d ago	Fit
Gardener	19d ago	Fit
Wise Move	19d ago	Fit
Eric Carmen	23d ago	Fit
Kool Raoul	24d ago	Fit
My Boy Christy	25d ago	Fit
Tantivy Vavoom	41d ago	Fit
Highbury Hill	45d ago	Fit
Be The Difference	62d ago	Fresh

Class

Horse	Prev Class	Change
Tantivy Vavoom	Class Class 4	Class Rise

Compared to each horse's most recent recorded run. 0 drops, 1 rise.