William Hill Handicap Hurdle
Grade 3 Handicap, Newbury
£155,000 guaranteed,
4yo plus,
2m 69y, Class 1  
Saturday 7th February 2026

BetPlay

A typically competitive renewal awaits, with only 16 declared for one of the most prestigious handicap hurdles of the season. Run over a sharp two miles on a track that rewards pace and tactical speed, the race has long been a proving ground for high-class operators, and this year’s field looks no exception.

Among the leading hopes is the progressive Let It Rain from the Dan Skelton stable, a yard that continues to thrive in major handicaps. He is joined near the head of the market by Un Sens A La Vie, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies in partnership with his son Willy, and All In You, who appears to be flourishing since joining Warren Greatrex.

All In You has an interesting profile. Bought for £90,000 in October, he quickly justified that investment by registering his first victory for new connections with a commanding display at Sandown early in the new year. That performance suggested there could be more to come now that he has settled into his new surroundings, and a strongly run handicap on a flat track could suit him well.

Much of the focus, however, centres on Un Sens A La Vie, who has firmly put himself back on the radar after an emphatic return to winning form at Ludlow. The Twiston-Davies team are now leaning strongly towards Newbury, encouraged by both his recent performance and the way earlier form lines have developed.

He began his hurdling career in promising fashion with a debut success at Market Rasen in October, travelling strongly and showing a smart turn of foot. Subsequent defeats on his next two outings briefly checked that momentum, but time has been kind to the form, and he underlined his ability in no uncertain terms last time, quickening clear from his rivals to score with something in hand.

That run was his fourth over hurdles, leaving him well positioned in terms of experience for a race like the William Hill Hurdle, which the Naunton yard know intimately, having won it three times since 2014.

“I’m nearly certain we’ll go for the William Hill Hurdle, it could depend when the early entries come on ratings and such,” explained Willy Twiston-Davies, who trains in partnership with his father Nigel.

“Off his current mark – and he might even go up for collateral because of the horse of Nicky Henderson, Old Park Star – he would get in the last few years, but you never know what could happen until those entries come in.

“We’ve won it with Splash Of Ginge and Ballyandy and they have both won and lost on the way to doing it. He shows every bit as much class as both of those two so you would hope he would go there with a very good chance.”

There was understandable frustration when Un Sens A La Vie was beaten for a second time by Old Park Star at Kempton last month, but that effort now reads far better than it did on the day. Old Park Star’s devastating subsequent victory at Cheltenham has propelled him towards the head of the ante-post markets for novice races at the Festival, lending considerable strength to the form.

Twiston-Davies added: “We were giving Old Park Star 6lb and he beat us three lengths at Kempton and the initial reaction was disappointment we didn’t win, but that form boost at Cheltenham has been well received.

“I think we’ll see the best of him when they go a really strong gallop, he took a bit of a grip that day at Kempton. The faster they go the better he’ll be and he’s definitely talented.

“We’ll be staying at two miles and he shows buckets of pace at home. Sam (Twiston-Davies) went steady enough on him at Ludlow and he just sprinted clear from the back of the last and looked impressive doing it.

“I think two miles, a sound surface and a flat track where they go a good gallop is right up his street and I was kicking myself after he ran at Cheltenham thinking I ran him too soon, but actually I just think he wants a flat two miles like he will get at Newbury.”

With Let It Rain bringing strong handicap credentials, All In You arriving as an upwardly mobile recruit, and Un Sens A La Vie looking a horse very much on the rise, this year’s William Hill Hurdle has all the ingredients of a vintage renewal. In a race that regularly rewards the right blend of class, pace and timing, Newbury on Saturday could once again provide a platform for a major player to announce himself on the biggest stage.

BoyleSports

Newbury Handicap Hurdle (Handicap) (Grade 3)
£155,000 guaranteed, 4yo plus, 2m 69y, Class 1
16 runners
Going: Heavy

NO. FORM HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY
1 261-61 Tutti Quanti 6 12-0 Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden
2 71-610 Go Dante 10 11-10 Olly Murphy Sean Bowen
3 11-642 Bucephalus 9 11-8 Neil Mulholland Harriet Tucker
4 121-39 Wellington Arch 7 11-8 Jonjo & A J O'Neill Jonjo O'Neill Jr
5 6/8387 Faivoir 11 11-8 Dan Skelton Miss Heidi Palin
6 1-1721 Un Sens A La Vie 6 11-6 Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies Sam Twiston-Davies
7 221-15 Lanesborough 7 11-6 Ben Pauling Brendan Powell
8 4-6241 Hot Fuss 5 11-6 5ex Tom Dascombe David Bass
9 3331/1 Bubble Dubi 9 11-5 Stuart Edmunds Charlie Hammond
10 U05-21 All In You 6 11-3 Warren Greatrex James Bowen
11 10-965 Milldam 8 11-3 Jamie Snowden Isabelle Ryder
12 620-79 Wreckless Eric 6 11-2 Jonjo & A J O'Neill Kielan Woods
13 1/21-3 Let It Rain 7 11-0 Dan Skelton Harry Skelton
14 5-2244 The Hardest Geezer 2 7 10-12 Philip Hobbs & Johnson White Sean Houlihan
15 -31619 Poet Laureate 6 10-11 Chris Gordon Freddie Gordon
16 -52412 Dance And Glance 6 10-11 Anthony Honeyball Rex Dingle

The Betfair Hurdle – Roll of Honour

YEAR WINNER TRAINER JOCKEY AGE/WEIGHT SP RAN

2025 JOYEUSE Nicky Henderson Nico de Boinville 6 10-7 9/2 17
2024 IBERICO LORD Nicky Henderson Nico de Boinville 6 11-8 11/2 21
2023 AUCUNRISQUE Chris Gordon Nick Scholfield 7 11-4 9/1 16
2022 GLORY AND FORTUNE Tom Lacey Stan Sheppard 7 11-8 20/1 14
2021 SOARING GLORY Jonjo O'Neill Jonjo O'Neill Jr 6-10-07 17/2 23
2020 PIC D'ORHY Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden 05-11-05 33/1 24
2019 AL DANCER Nigel Twiston-Davies Sam Twiston-Davies 06-11-08 5/2F 14
2018 KALASHNIKOV Miss Amy Murphy Jack Quinlan 05-11-05 8/1C 24
2017 BALLYANDY Nigel Twiston-Davies Sam Twiston-Davies 06-11-01 3/1F 16
2016 AGRAPART Nick Williams Lizzie Kelly 05-10-05 16/1 22
2015 VIOLET DANCER Gary Moore Joshua Moore 05-10-09 20/1 23
2014 SPLASH OF GINGE Nigel Twiston-Davies Ryan Hatch 06-10-03 33/1 20
2013 MY TENT OR YOURS Nicky Henderson A P McCoy 06-11-02 5/1F 21
2012 ZARKANDAR Paul Nicholls Ruby Walsh 05-11-01 11/4F 20
2011 RECESSION PROOF John Quinn Dougie Costello 05-10-08 12/1 15
2010 GET ME OUT OF HERE Jonjo O'Neill A P McCoy 06-10-06 6/1 23
2009 Abandoned - Snow
2008 WINGMAN Gary Moore Jamie Moore 06-10-00 14/1 24
2007 HEATHCOTE Gary Moore Jamie Moore 05-10-06 50/1 20
2006 Abandoned - Frost
2005 ESSEX Michael O'Brien IRE Barry Geraghty 05-11-06 4/1F 25
2004 GEOS Nicky Henderson Marcus Foley 09-10-09 16/1 25
2003 SPIRIT LEADER Jessica Harrington IRE Norman Williamson 07-10-00 14/1 27
2002 COPELAND Martin Pipe A P McCoy 07-11-07 13/2 16
2001 LANDING LIGHT Nicky Henderson Mick Fitzgerald 06-10-02 4/1F 20
2000 GEOS Nicky Henderson Mick Fitzgerald 05-11-03 15/2 17
1999 DECOUPAGE Charles Egerton Jimmy McCarthy 07-11-00 6/1 18
1998 SHARPICAL Nicky Henderson Mick Fitzgerald 06-11-01 10/1 14
1997 MAKE A STAND Martin Pipe Chris Maude 06-11-07 6/1 18
1996 SQUIRE SILK Andy Turnell Paul Carberry 07-10-12 13/2 18
1995 MYSILV Charles Egerton Jamie Osborne 05-10-08 9/4F 8
1994 LARGE ACTION Oliver Sherwood Jamie Osborne 06-10-08 9/2 11
1993 KING CREDO Steve Woodman Adrian Maguire 08-10-00 10/1 16
1992 RODEO STAR Nigel Tinkler Graham McCourt 06-10-10 15/2 15
1991 Abandoned - Frost
1990 DEEP SENSATION Josh Gifford Richard Rowe 05-11-03 7/1 17
1989 GREY SALUTE John Jenkins Richard Dunwoody 06-11-05 8/1 10
1988 JAMESMEAD David Elsworth Brendan Powell 07-10-00 11/1 19
1987 NEBLIN Toby Balding Stan Moore 08-10-00 10/1 21
1986 Abandoned – Snow
1985 Abandoned – Snow
1984 RA NOVA Nan Kennedy Paddy Farrell 05-10-06 16/1 26
1983 Abandoned - Snow & Frost
1982 DONEGAL PRINCE Paul Kelleway John Francome 06-10-08 13/1 27
1981 Abandoned – Waterlogged
1980 BOOTLACES David Barons Paul Leach 06-10-09 20/1 21
1979 WITHIN THE LAW Peter Easterby Alan Brown 05-11-04 25/1 28
1978 Abandoned – Frost
1977 TRUE LAD Bill Swainson Tommy Stack 07-10-04 14/1 27
1976 IRISH FASHION Michael Cunningham IRE Ron Barry 05-10-04 16/1 29
1975 TAMMUZ Fulke Walwyn Bill Smith 07-10-13 18/1 28
1974 Abandoned – Waterlogged
1973 INDIANAPOLIS John Sutcliffe snr Jeff King 06-10-06 15/2 26
1972 GOOD REVIEW Jim Dreaper IRE Val O'Brien 06-10-09 8/1 26
1971 CALA MESQUIDA John Sutcliffe snr John Cook 07-10-09 33/1 23
1970 Abandoned - Snow & Frost
1969 Abandoned - Frost
1968 PERSIAN WAR Colin Davies Jimmy Uttley 05-11-13 9/2F 33
1967 HILL HOUSE Ryan Price Josh Gifford 07-10-10 9/1 28
1966 LE VERMONTOIS Ryan Price Josh Gifford 05-11-03 15/2 28
1965 ELAN John Sutcliffe jnr David Nicholson 06-10-07 9/2F 21
1964 ROSYTH Ryan Price Josh Gifford 06-10-02 10/1 24
1963 ROSYTH Ryan Price Josh Gifford 05-10-00 20/1 41