Hey Day Baby makes her handicap debut this afternoon in the Class 5 Mares' Handicap Hurdle (16:30) over three miles at Southwell.

Read our Raceday LIVE preview below and join us ahead of the race for all the build-up and live updates from the track with the team and our lucky owners for the day across our social channels on X (@coral) and Instagram (@coralofficial).

Raceday LIVE Preview

Hey Day Baby has raced exclusively over two miles in her career under rules to date, including one run in a bumper and three over hurdles since March of last year. Following her ninth-placed finish at Plumpton a few weeks ago, which was the first time she'd been on the track since June last year after recovering from a muscle injury, she received an opening handicap mark of 76 – which is probably a fair reflection on what she's shown so far. 

Today marks not only her handicap debut, but also her first start over three miles. Interestingly, she won her final point-to-point contest at Turtulla in Ireland over this staying distance, comfortably putting away Caught A Vibe (now rated 82) and Presenting Doyen (now rated 120), so there's hope that the return to this trip could be the key to unlocking some improvement with Hey Day Baby.

The team at Jackdaws Castle have told us that they've been schooling Hey Day Baby extensively before today's run, and that she's come through that work with flying colours.





Prize money and Owners for the Day

Today's Class 5 contest is worth £6,150 in total, with the winner set to scoop £3,247.81 for their lucky owners.

2nd place: £1,494.44 | 3rd place: £747.23 | 4th place: £373.92 | 5th place: £186.35

As part of the Owner for the Day competitions we launch here on the Coral Racing Club website when one of the club's horses has been entered in a race, each of the 10 lucky winners who get the chance to attend as an owner get to take home an equal 10% split of any prize money won.

Trainer and jockey form

Jonjo O'Neill has a solid 23% strike-rate from the past two weeks with six winners from 23 runners.

Jonjo's son and today's jockey, Jonjo O'Neill Jnr, has ridden three winners in the last 14 days, all of which have been for his Dad. Southwell is a track that Jonjo Jr has a good record at with 22 victories from 105 rides so far in his career, and only Warwick sits above it in terms of winners (26).

Racing Post | VERDICT

Hat-trick seeker IT'S MAISY gets the vote in a weak race, even though a stiff track is likely to prove ideal. Shesupincourt looks the most likely danger but Hey Day Baby makes a hefty step up in trip in first-time blinkers for this handicap debut. [Richard Austen]

Today's opposition

• It's Maisy comes here for the Sue Smith team chasing a hat-trick having won her last two. Nick Schofield retains the ride having been the pilot in both those victories.

• Shesupincourt bounced back to form last time out with a second place finish over course and distance having been pulled up on her penultimate run at Leicester in January.

• Cantalupo Bella is another handicap debutante in today's contest for Michael and David Easterby, and she also steps up in trip to three miles for the first time just like Hey Day Baby.

   SOUTHWELL 16:30 – LATEST BETTING   

We hope you enjoyed reading today's Raceday LIVE Preview. Don't forget to tune in just before 16:30 to watch Hey Day Baby's next run for the club.