What time is the Early Bird Handicap?
The Early Bird Handicap is off at 4:38 on 21 May 2026 at Haydock (Great Britain).
← All racecards4:38
Haydock
Great BritainEarly Bird Handicap
Thursday, 21 May 2026
6f·Flat·Class 5·Soft·11 runners·£4,449
Furlong's verdict
AI-written, grounded in our data on this race. May be wrong. Verify before staking. Opinion, not advice.
Selections by model
Head-to-head dashboard →v1.051.6/100 rating
Showtown
8.50Bet365· informational only
Top-rated, but filter rejects this race
v1.1
No pick
Race outside the segment-edge filter
Each-way51.6/100 rating
Showtown
8.50Bet365
Place portion settles at 2.50 · 1/5 odds · 4 places
Top-half AI rating in the EW price sweet spot. Each-way splits stake: half on the win, half on the place portion.
Racing Alpha pick
Showtown
Kevin Stott · Kevin Ryan · 3yo
51.6/100
+0.1 vs next best (51.4)
The Racing Alpha rating combines four signals. Below is the breakdown — components driving this pick first.
- Freshness10% weight100very strong17d since last run (race-fit window)
- Ratings50% weight50below averageOR 73 · RPR 81 · TS 70
- Form20% weight48below averageLast 6: 2-2-3-2-0
- Trainer20% weight35below averageKevin Ryan: 5/35 winners last 14d (14%)
MarketBest price 8.50 (Bet365) — 6th pick of 11 in market. AI is contrarian here.
v1.3 rating · weights and method explained on /about. Tips are opinions, not advice.
Runners
| # | Dr | Horse | Jockey / Trainer | Form | Wt | OR | RPR | TS | AI | Best price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 3yo · G · b | 922 | 9-09 | 75 | 82 | 61 | 51.4 | 5/1 Bet365 | |
| 2 | 8 | 3yo · F · b | 21108 | 9-09 | 75 | 80 | 61 | 48.9 | 12/1 Bet365 | |
| 3 | 13 | 3yo · F · b | 41873 | 9-09 | 75 | 78 | 69 | 50.1 | 7/1 Bet365 | |
| 4 | 11 | 3yo · F · b | 43621 | 9-07 | 73 | 79 | 67 | 42.7 | 5.1 Betfair Exchange | |
| 5 | 1 | 3yo · C · b | 33811 | 9-07 | 73 | 79 | 73 | 44.3 | 6.4 Betfair Exchange | |
| 6 | 3 | 3yo · G · bp | 22320 | 9-07 | 73 | 81 | 70 | 51.6 | 15/2 Bet365 | |
| 7 | 5 | 3yo · F · b | 26150 | 9-06 | 72 | 75 | 59 | 38.6 | 20/1 Bet Victor | |
| 8 | 6 | 3yo · G · gr | 54100 | 9-06 | 72 | 76 | 35 | 40.4 | 33/1 Bet365 | |
| 9 | 2 | 3yo · G · gr | 22150 | 9-06 | 72 | 80 | 51 | 44.3 | 13/2 Bet365 | |
| 10 | 7 | 3yo · F · br | 16456 | 9-05 | 71 | 77 | 64 | 40.2 | 14/1 Bet365 | |
| 12 | 12 | 3yo · C · b | 5223 | 9-04 | 70 | 79 | 53 | 50.6 | 18/1 Bet365 | |
| — | 9 | Explosive FinnishNon-runner 3yo · G · ch | 54333 | 9-05 | 71 | — | — | — | Withdrawn | |
| — | 10 | Obsidian VerseNon-runner 3yo · G · b | 84581 | 9-03 | 69 | 82 | — | — | Withdrawn |
Frequently asked questions
What is the field size and distance of the 4:38 Haydock?
6f, Class 5, Flat, 11 runners declared.
What is the going for the 4:38 Haydock?
Going is reported as Soft on Turf.
What is the Racing Alpha AI top pick for the 4:38 Haydock?
The AI top-rated runner is Showtown (score 51.6, best price 8.50). Methodology: ratings combine OR, RPR, TS, trainer 14-day form, days since last run and going.
Who is the favourite for the 4:38 Haydock?
The market favourite is Woolisle at a best price of 5.10. The Racing Alpha AI top pick is a different horse — Showtown.
Racing Post verdict
Third-partyHandicap newcomer STONEACRE JOE (nap) has been a promising second on his last two starts and earns the vote ahead of Harlequin Bay.
Racing Post pick: Stoneacre Joe
Editorial verdict from Racing Post via the Racing API — not generated by Racing Alpha.
Betting forecast
Formbook3/1 Woolisle, 9/2 Stoneacre Joe, 5/1 From The Hip, 7/1 Showtown, 15/2 There's A Chance, 10/1 Daizen, 11/1 Angels' Share, 12/1 Guernsey Angel, 14/1 Harlequin Bay, 16/1 Magistery, 33/1 Hvar
Formbook's pre-race odds estimate — not market prices.
Best price shown is the highest decimal price across bookmakers we track. Odds update every few minutes; settle at SP if unavailable. 18+ only · Bet responsibly · BeGambleAware.org