Haydock Park is set to stage a seven-race programme on Saturday, September 26, 2026, with the afternoon card featuring contests for two-year-olds alongside races for three-year-olds and older horses. The programme covers distances from five furlongs to one mile and six furlongs, providing a varied combination of sprint, middle-distance and staying challenges. Racing is scheduled to begin at 1:35pm, with the final contest due at 5:10pm.
The afternoon begins at 1:35pm with the Class 2 Handicap Stakes, a contest for three-year-olds and older horses. The race will be run over seven furlongs and 212 yards and carries £45,000 in prize money. The race is restricted to horses rated between 86 and 105. The extended seven-furlong trip will require the runners to combine pace with sufficient stamina to maintain their effort through the closing stages.
At 2:10pm, the programme moves to another Class 2 Handicap Stakes, this time over five furlongs. Open to three-year-olds and older horses, the contest carries £45,000 in prize money and is for horses rated from 0 to 100. The shorter distance will provide a sharp test, with the runners required to establish their rhythm quickly and maintain their speed throughout the contest.
The third race, scheduled for 2:40pm, is the British EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes. This Class 3 GBB race is restricted to two-year-old fillies and will be contested over seven furlongs and 212 yards. The race carries £13,000 in prize money. The distance will give the young fillies an opportunity to demonstrate their developing stamina while also requiring enough pace to remain competitive during the final stages.
At 3:15pm, Haydock Park stages the Forever Our Mike Handicap Stakes. The Class 3 contest is open to three-year-olds and older horses and will be run over six furlongs. It carries £18,500 in prize money and is restricted to horses rated between 71 and 90. The six-furlong journey provides a balanced test of speed and finishing ability, with the runners needing to maintain their pace from the early stages through to the finish.
The fifth race, scheduled for 4:00pm, is the Class 4 Nursery Handicap Stakes, a contest for two-year-olds. The race will be run over six furlongs and 212 yards and carries £12,000 in prize money. The field is restricted to horses rated between 0 and 85. The additional distance beyond six furlongs will give the young runners a test of their ability to maintain speed while handling a longer journey.
At 4:35pm, the programme continues with the J&P Civil Engineering British EBF Maiden Stakes. This Class 3 contest is restricted to two-year-old colts and geldings and will be run over seven furlongs and 212 yards. The race carries £13,000 in prize money. As a maiden event, it provides an opportunity for the young runners to gain experience and demonstrate their ability over the distance. The extended seven-furlong trip will require the participants to combine early pace with enough stamina for the closing stages.
The final race of the afternoon is the Class 4 Handicap Stakes, scheduled for 5:10pm. The contest is open to horses aged four years and older and will be contested over one mile and six furlongs. It carries £12,000 in prize money and is restricted to horses rated between 66 and 85. As the longest race of the day, it will place the greatest emphasis on stamina and energy management. The runners will need to maintain their rhythm over the extended journey before producing their strongest effort near the finish.
The Haydock Park programme offers a varied sequence of seven races, beginning with a Class 2 contest over seven furlongs and 212 yards before moving to a five-furlong sprint. The middle portion of the card features races over seven furlongs, six furlongs and six furlongs and 212 yards, giving the runners different challenges throughout the afternoon.
Two-year-old runners feature in three races on the card. The British EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes provides a seven-furlong and 212-yard test for fillies, while the Class 4 Nursery Handicap Stakes takes place over six furlongs and 212 yards. The J&P Civil Engineering British EBF Maiden Stakes brings two-year-old colts and geldings together over seven furlongs and 212 yards.
The programme also contains three races for three-year-olds and older horses. The opening Class 2 Handicap Stakes is over seven furlongs and 212 yards, followed by the five-furlong Class 2 contest and the six-furlong Forever Our Mike Handicap Stakes. The final race then provides a longer challenge for four-year-olds and older horses over one mile and six furlongs.
The variety of distances gives the September 26 meeting a broad character, ranging from the speed-focused five-furlong contest to the stamina-based final race. The different race classes and age conditions also provide opportunities for horses at various stages of their careers.
With racing beginning at 1:35pm and continuing until 5:10pm, Haydock Park is set for a full afternoon of racing action. The seven-race programme combines sprinting tests, seven-furlong contests and longer-distance events, with two-year-olds, three-year-olds and older horses all represented. The meeting will provide a varied schedule of racing across the afternoon before concluding with the extended-distance final contest.
For more stories, results, and updates from the world of horse racing, stay tuned to RaceBuzz.