There is a steady, workmanlike feel to Monday’s meeting at Ayr Racecourse, where National Hunt racing takes centre stage on 23 February 2026. From 1:50pm through to 4:30pm, a six-race card brings together seasoned chasers, progressive hurdlers and a handful of unexposed types looking to make their mark. With the £11,000 feature adding extra incentive, the afternoon shapes as a competitive and engaging chapter in Ayr’s winter programme.
The opener at 1:50pm, The Join Racing TV Now Handicap Steeple Chase, sees six runners go to post over a demanding 3m 104y. With £9,000 in prize money, this Class 4 staying contest will place the emphasis firmly on stamina and accurate jumping. On Ayr’s galloping track, rhythm and positioning often prove decisive in races of this nature.
Race two at 2:25pm, The Watch On Racing TV Maiden Hurdle Race, offers £10,000 in prize money and brings together six runners over 2m 3f 191y. As a maiden hurdle, it provides a valuable platform for lightly raced horses seeking their first success over obstacles. With scope for improvement among the field, the contest could produce a performance of promise for the weeks ahead.
The feature at 3:00pm, The Every Race Live On Racing TV Handicap Steeple Chase, is the most valuable contest on the card, carrying £11,000 in prize money. Seven runners are set to line up over 2m 4f 173y in this competitive Class 4 handicap. Veteran campaigner Dubai Days (IRE) heads the weights with a BHA rating of 122 and carries 12st 2lbs for trainer N. W. Alexander, bringing a wealth of experience as a 12-year-old. Close behind in the ratings is Big John Wayne (IRE), an eight-year-old from the Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore yard, rated 117 and set to carry 11st 11lbs, while Jaccours (FR) represents the in-form Olly Murphy stable off a mark of 115.
Further depth is added by One Mill Harbour (FR), trained by James Moffatt and rated 114, alongside Dance Thief (IRE) for R. Mike Smith, who arrives with consistent recent form figures and a rating of 109. Lighter weights include Tommy Combats (IRE), rated 105 for Martin Todhunter, and Don Occhetti (IRE) from the William Young Jnr yard, who carries 10st 8lbs off a mark of 100. With proven chasers, seasoned stayers and in-form contenders all engaged, the feature promises a tactically intriguing and closely fought contest at Ayr.
At 3:30pm, five runners contest The 100% RacingTV Profits Back To Racing Novices’ Hurdle Race, another Class 4 event. Though prize money details are unconfirmed, the smaller field size could lend itself to a steadily run tactical affair. Novice hurdles at this stage of the season frequently highlight progressive types preparing for bigger spring assignments.
Race five at 4:00pm, The Join Racing TV Now Handicap Hurdle Race, features the largest field of the afternoon with 11 runners competing for £9,000. Run over 2m 4f 204y, this Class 4 handicap hurdle promises to be fiercely competitive, with depth in numbers likely to create a strong pace and an exciting finish.
The card concludes at 4:30pm with The Watch On Racing TV National Hunt Flat Race, a Class 5 bumper worth £4,000. Five runners face the starter over 2m 54y in a contest designed to showcase future jumping prospects. Such races often provide an early glimpse of young horses destined for hurdles or fences next season.
With competitive field sizes and a mix of experience and emerging talent, Ayr’s Monday fixture promises an engaging afternoon of winter jump racing in Scotland.
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