A low-grade Class 5 handicap on a sharp track. In races like this, current well-being is everything. We have a field littered with ‘Pulled Up’ (P) and poor recent form, making the one reliable runner stand out like a beacon.
The Win: Vampire Slayer (9/4)
This is the only horse in the race that ticks every box.
Form: He arrives fresh off a win at Catterick just 14 days ago. Catterick is a sharp, left-handed track very similar to Sedgefield. If he handled that, he will handle this.
Ratings: He is the clear HRB Top Rated (256.1), sitting over 11 points clear of his nearest rival (Animato at 244.4).
Handicap: The handicapper was kind. He won by less than a length last time and has only been nudged up 4lbs to an OR of 96.
Verdict: In a race of strugglers, the horse currently capable of winning is the obvious choice. Keep it simple.
The Value: Warrior Lion (12/1)
If you want an alternative to the favourite, look at the bottom of the weights.
The “Candlish” Factor: Trainer Jennie Candlish won this exact race last year (2025) with Demoiselle Kap. She knows what is required here.
The Weight Swing: Warrior Lion carries just 11-0. He faces top-weight Animato (12-0), a horse he actually beat on the Flat at Chester last summer. Today, Warrior Lion meets him on 14lbs better terms if you include the jockey claim on Animato.
Verdict: He has had a spin on the All-Weather recently to blow away the cobwebs. At double-figure odds, he is the clever play.
The Danger: Linden Lane (7/2)
The only other runner with a pulse. He clocked the highest Speed Rating (71.1) of the entire field last time out when finishing 3rd at Windsor. If the race becomes a sprint from the last hurdle, he is the threat.
Summary
Back Vampire Slayer to win. He is fit, in form, and suits the track. Have a small saver on Warrior Lion to capitalise on the trainer’s excellent record in this specific race.