Hamilton
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Heineken Buttonhook Handicap (GBBPlus Race)
Starts in
Awaiting result
Turf track
All Runners — sorted by TrackLab Score
TrackLab Insight
The market favourite and the editor's top pick, with good reason — it chased home Constitution Hill last time out while trying to give that horse a 5lb weight advantage, which is a seriously eye-catching piece of form. It has never raced on normal ground conditions before, so that's a small unknown, but its consistent record of always finishing in the top three suggests it handles most situations well. At odds of 2.75, punters are clearly convinced this is the one to beat.
Never raced on normal ground
Lightly raced (3 career races)
Market favourite (2.75)
TrackLab Insight
The biggest unknown in the race — this horse has been off the track for over 10 months, which is by far the longest absence in the field. Wins roughly 1 in 4 races across its career, which is the best win rate here, but horses returning from that long a break often need the first run back to blow away the cobwebs. Its trainer Jack Channon has been in red-hot form recently, winning 4 from just 9 races in the last two weeks, which at least suggests the horse could be ready to run well.
Absent 312 days (longest in field)
Best career win rate in field (1 in 4)
Trainer Quotes
Apr 2025
"He's a lovely four-year-old who's very lightly raced. He's had only five races, but he won on his last start at Leicester in October over 1m2f and is now rated 87. He'll be a nice horse to have a crack at those nice 1m2f handicaps. He's the type to go for something like the John Smith's Cup and he should improve as the year goes on. 02-04-25"
TrackLab Insight
The most experienced horse in the field by a long way — 41 races compared to a field average of 14 — and crucially the only runner here who has already won at Hamilton, making it the only course winner in the race. It carries the lowest weight in the field, which is an advantage, but its last six finishes have all been fourth or worse, and its record on normal ground is winless from 7 attempts. Wearing cheekpieces today, which sometimes sharpens a horse's focus, but it needs to find a level it hasn't shown for a while.
Lowest rated, 7lbs below average
Carries lowest weight in field
Only course winner (1 from 4 here)
Most experienced (41 runs, field avg 14)
Trainer Quotes
May 2025
"What a year he's had. He was coming in the Stayers' Handicap on his last run but we were hoping to get into the 1m2f race as that's his trip, but you'd say he was a player at the 2m race. His ability to switch off is impressive, especially on the all-weather. We're hoping to get him into the Northumberland Plate, so we'll probably go back to Newcastle on Saturday. He'll probably have to go up to get into it, and if not we'll get in the Vase on the same day. He's another with stall issues but we're getting around them. He's not showing signs of diminishing. He's interesting, he's not straightforward but I don't think good horses are. We've had a lot of fun with him. He's got a good pedigree and he's getting there. 07-05-25"
TrackLab Insight
The top-rated horse in the field by 5lbs, which means the official handicapper thinks it's better than everything else here. It's a 10-year-old with only 3 career races to its name — remarkably lightly raced for its age — and it won at Beverley just 18 days ago. The concern is how much that high rating will cost it against rivals who carry less weight.
Top rated by 5lbs
Lightly raced (3 career races)
Good Value
TrackLab Insight
Ran a near-miss at Wolverhampton just 16 days ago, beaten less than a length, so it arrives here in solid form and carrying the lightest competitive weight among the front-runners. Like Square Necker, it has never raced on normal ground, so neither horse has a proven edge there. Jockey Connor Beasley has been in good form, winning 4 from 27 rides in the last two weeks, which adds a small but genuine reason for interest.
Never raced on normal ground
Jockey in best form (4 from 27 last 2wk)
Good Value
TrackLab Insight
Back racing after just 7 days, which is a quick turnaround and raises questions about whether it has fully recovered from finishing fourth at Musselburgh last week. Its record away from its favoured Chelmsford track is poor, and Hamilton is a very different test. Trainer Jim Goldie has been in decent form recently — winning 3 from 24 in the last two weeks — but the odds have drifted sharply from 9.5 to 13, which is never an encouraging sign.
Runs again after just 7 days
Trainer in best form (3 from 24 last 2wk)
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Win (they finish 1st)
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£5
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The first number is what you win, the second is what you bet. So 5/2 means you win £5 for every £2. 4/1 means you win £4 for every £1. The bigger the first number, the less likely bookmakers think the horse will win — but the more you'd win if it does.
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