Away From The Spotlight: Horses to follow on the all-weather

By David Massey

Horse Racing

Tue January 06, 2026 · 17h ago

David Massey flags up several names to note among the all-weather entries this week as jumps racing appears to be on hold for the foreseeable.

Do you like all-weather racing? If you don’t, this might be the time to stop reading this latest instalment of Away From The Spotlight and go read one of the many other TREMENDOUS columns this esteemed website has to offer. Because with Mr J. Frost (not Jimmy, Jack, you fools) taking a keen hold this week, we’re going to be surviving on a diet of sand-based sarnies for the next few days.

As if that wasn’t exciting enough, January sees the return of the Classifieds. Not the sort you find in your local free rag, offering a “well-loved (code for “it’s knackered”) second-hand washing machine for a thirty quid, or someone looking for “no-strings fun in the Nottingham area” (not my advert, thankyou) but those lovely 0-50 races that are a small step up from the old Banded/Regional racing.

A small complaint, before we get into them; why, in their wisdom, are the BHA allowing these contests to be split into three if 24 are declared? Three races of eight surely spells trouble, with likely non-runners spoiling the each-way shape of the race; surely two 12 runner affairs makes more sense, no?

Okay, onto the racing and we are, of course, starting at Southwell tomorrow evening. Yes I’ll be there; yes I’ll have at least six layers on. Early favourite with the soup is carrot and coriander, which hasn’t been seen for a while now, and is due a welcome return.

The first of the Classifieds is at 5:00, and Khangai is one that’s caught the eye. Twice a winner around here when with James Owen, he showed he still had ability when successful last summer for Pat Morris and, after a first low-key start for his new yard, Coyle and Wood, here last month he’s dropped the necessary two pounds to get him into this contest. If not here, he can win one of these over the next few weeks.

As ever, though, if you miss one Classified event don’t worry, there’s another along shortly, and half an hour later we get a second dose of it. The Pug will be popular with the locals but I’ve half an idea Ignition might be capable of picking one of these up for Thomas Faulkner soon.

Twelve runs without success might not get you reaching for your virtual wallet in a hurry, but there’s definitely some ability there and on more than one occasion has caught the eye in running, usually hampered late as he winds up for a run. A five-length sixth over 12f here on his latest run, and this race, with all the strength of a Junior Disprin, is there for the taking. Even a reproduction of that latest run might be good enough.

Those that like a shortie will be piling into Dartrey in the 8:00, who just looks a different horse since being gelded and should bring up the hat-trick without too much fuss, but in the last old Blackjack is slowly starting to refind form after a summer break, and a win isn’t too far away now. He’s a game sort that's hard to get past when on song, and he definitely wasn’t ridden to best effect when held up here last time.

here’s not a lot of pace on here, maybe Holbache will go up front with him, but there’s still life left in him yet. Perhaps a drop to 0-65 company is what he wants, so even if it isn’t here, keep him in mind.

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Wednesday is going to be a quiet day, as Kempton all-weather isn’t a track I can bet at; if ever you see a Kempton pick on the sister column, Punting Pointers, I can guarantee you that’s Delargy’s work, not mine. We all have tracks we simply can’t read right, for whatever reason, and Kempton’s my Kryptonite. So that gets passed over, and I’ll concentrate on Lingfield instead.

I keep looking at hurdles winner Hiconic from a basement mark of 47 in the first at 12.33, the “Midnite Aint Your Grandads Bookie” (clearly not the bookie to go to for grammar lessons either) but she might just be the sort that’s better with some obstacles in front of her, and ready preference is for Sapphire Sirocco, who has found some consistency and, after winning over C&D two starts ago, probably ought to have followed up last time. Paddy Bradley might have gone for home a bit too soon and as we all know, Lingfield feels like the longest straight in the world (particularly when you’ve backed one that’s hit the front a furlong out and you can see the cavalry coming; many’s the time I’ve screamed “Where’s the line? WHERE’S THE ******* LINE???” at the poor, abused telly) and he got picked off.

Hopefully Rhys Clutterbuck will hold onto her a bit longer here, which should see her home in front. The consistent Combustion can probably win the last at 3:33 and in all honesty that’ll be me done on Wednesday, a day of chores awaits.

Hang on though, what’s this? Taunton haven’t given up hope of racing on Thursday; can they provide an oasis for the jumps fans in an otherwise frozen tundra of a week? The handicap chase at 2:00 could be decent if it holds up, and we know how it’ll be run; Hypotenus only knows one way and that’s eyeballs out from the word go. One of these days she’ll jump a field into the ground with those tactics but Irish Chorus has already had two mentions on this column and she came good for us at Leicester last time out, so I’m in no mood to desert her after just a 2lb rise.

And there’s a couple in the last at 3:30 both worth a mention at likely big prices. Jukebox Annie is a C&D winner that ran a little better than sixth here would suggest last time, as she looked like she might challenge for the places before fading out of it late. She may have still just needed that and should go well here, and cliff horse Now Then Wendy might well run here too. A really useful-looking mare for this grade, there’s a little bit of ability there and she showed it again last time, staying on late into midfield. She could hit the frame at a whopping price.

Let’s just hope we can get Warwick on at the weekend. The good lady will have had enough of me mooching around the house by that point, she’ll be glad to get rid of me for the day.

And before we go, let’s just return to Classifieds, the newspaper variety, and a true story. Back in the day, my mate had a mini that we’ll describe as “well-loved” that he was selling for beer/gambling money. “Bargain at £100, must be seen!" read the advert. The first punter that turned up to have a look at this heap of junk was not impressed. “Must be seen, you said?”

“Yeah, newspaper made a mistake there, pal. Missed a word out. Should have said 'must be seen TO'.”

He sold it for fifty quid to a local scrapper a week later, and did the lot in in quick time.

See you at Warwick, hopefully.

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