Horse Racing stats man, Andy has contributed to OLBG for 18 years - An Ipswich fan and F1 fanatic, he also contributes EFL football and Motor Sport opinion.
2026 Northern Dancer Handicap Preview
The longest of the handicaps to take place during the Derby Festival is the Northern Dancer Handicap, a class two race that is contested over a distance of one mile and four furlongs and restricted to runners who are aged four or older.
Northern Dancer Handicap Information:
- Northern Dancer Handicap Past Winners
- Northern Dancer Handicap Trainer Statistics
- Northern Dancer Handicap Jockey Statistics
To see which runners the OLBG racing tipsters are tipping throughout the card that includes this race, head over to the Epsom tips on the day of the race. Do they agree with the runners on the trend shortlist, or are they predicting other runners? You may also be interested in other preview blogs that we have packed full of information. Head down to the Races Covered at the Epsom Derby Festival section for links to these.
Best Horse Racing Betting Sites 2025
How competitive is the Northern Dancer Handicap market? When looking at the over-rounds for the last 20 renewals, the most competitive market was in 2023 when the race had an over-round of 113%. The race in 2018 was a race that was most in the bookie's favour with an over-round of 135%, whilst on average over the last 20 renewals of the Northern Dancer Handicap, the over-round has been 124%, which means the bookie expects to pay out £100 for every £124 which is bet.
Below you will find the 2026 Northern Dancer Handicap Trends. See which patterns have occurred over the recent renewals that you may be able to use for the next renewal. We also have a section that looks at the Northern Dancer Handicap Trend Analysis.
These are the top three quickest-run Northern Dancer Handicap races over the last 20 renewals:
- Blue Surf (2:34.39) in 2015
- Soto Sizzler (2:34.55) in 2019
- Fortuni (2:34.68) in 2010
Looking at the future form, is the winner worth following next time out? Over the past 20 renewals, if you had followed the winner of the Northern Dancer Handicap next time out, then you would have backed a total of 2 winners. Backing all 19 runners who have been out since their win at SP next time out would have returned an LSP of -1.50. Before placing your bet on the 2026 Northern Dancer Handicap, see which other runners today are being backed on the racing predictions page.
The runner that holds the record over the past 20 renewals for the slowest time in the race was set in the 2016 renewal when Green Light from Ralph Beckett under the guidance of Oisin Murphy, won in a time of 2:41.81, whilst at the other end of the spectrum, Blue Surf, trained by Amanda Perrett and ridden by Pat Dobbs set the quickest time of 2:34.39 in the 2015 renewal.
Northern Dancer Handicap Past Winners
Here are the Northern Dancer Handicap past winners for the last 10 renewals. Each row details the year of the race, the horse which won, along with the age & weight of the horse. Also detailed is the stall where the horse came from and the total number of runners in the race. The horse's trainer and the jockey at the time of winning the Northern Dancer Handicap are also displayed, along with the starting price at which the horse was sent off.
| Year | Horse (Drawn) | Info |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 2:41.33 | Small Fry (IRE) 4yo 7-13 (2 of 14) 9/4F | Ashley Lewis (7lbs) Gary & Josh Moore (GB) |
| 2024 2:40.13 | Relentless Voyager (GB) 4yo 9-8 (1 of 14) 7/1 | Oisin Murphy Andrew Balding (GB) |
| 2023 2:36.25 | Sheer Rocks (GB) 4yo 8-6 (1 of 8) 11/2 | Harry Davies (3lbs) Eve Johnson Houghton (GB) |
| 2022 2:38.11 | Midnights Legacy (GB) 5yo 9-1 (12 of 11) 3/1F | William Buick Alan King (GB) |
| 2021 2:38.29 | Midnights Legacy (GB) 4yo 9-3 (5 of 10) 12/1 | William Buick Alan King (GB) |
| 2019 2:34.55 | Soto Sizzler (GB) 4yo 8-5 (11 of 11) 9/2 | Jimmy Quinn William Knight (GB) |
| 2018 2:35.56 | Dash Of Spice (GB) 4yo 8-4 (9 of 17) 11/4F | Silvestre De Sousa David Elsworth (GB) |
| 2017 2:37.94 | Soldier In Action (FR) 4yo 9-6 (9 of 10) 12/1 | James Doyle Mark Johnston (GB) |
| 2016 2:41.81 | Green Light (GB) 5yo 8-8 (16 of 17) 16/1 | Oisin Murphy Ralph Beckett (GB) |
| 2015 2:34.39 | Blue Surf (GB) 6yo 9-6 (13 of 19) 20/1 | Pat Dobbs Amanda Perrett (GB) |
Where have the winning runners come from?
Here are the countries where the winning trainers of the Northern Dancer Handicap have been based:
- GB: 20 winners with an additional 44 placings from 277 runners
- IRE: 0 winners with an additional 1 placing from 3 runners
- NOR: 0 winners with an additional 1 placing from 1 runner
Northern Dancer Handicap Trainer Statistics
The leading trainer in the Northern Dancer Handicap over the last 20 renewals is Amanda Perrett, who has won the race three times, with those three winners coming from Alfie Noakes (2006), Nosferatu (2007) and Blue Surf (2015). The only other trainer to have recorded multiple wins in the Northern Dancer Handicap is Alan King (2 wins). There is one trainer who has not had the best of times in the Northern Dancer Handicap; Ian Williams has sent a total of 13 runners to the race without recording any wins.
Here are some of the top Northern Dancer Handicap trainer statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Trainer | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amanda Perrett | 16-3-5 | +23.50 | +13.12 |
| Alan King | 4-2-2 | +13.00 | +7.00 |
| Gary Moore | 14-1-1 | -7.00 | -9.25 |
| Andrew Balding | 10-1-2 | -2.00 | -3.98 |
| Ralph Beckett | 9-1-2 | +8.00 | +5.00 |
| John Quinn | 7-1-1 | -1.50 | -3.19 |
| David Elsworth | 6-1-2 | -2.25 | -1.97 |
| Philip Hobbs | 3-1-1 | +9.00 | +4.88 |
| Gary & Josh Moore | 3-1-1 | +0.25 | -0.59 |
| Sir Mark Prescott Bt | 2-1-1 | +8.00 | +4.63 |
Northern Dancer Handicap Jockey Statistics
The leading jockey in the Northern Dancer Handicap over the last 20 renewals is Oisin Murphy, who has won the race three times, with those three winners coming from Miss Marjurie (2014), Green Light (2016) and Relentless Voyager (2024). Other jockeys who have recorded multiple wins in the Northern Dancer Handicap are Silvestre De Sousa (2 wins), William Buick (2 wins) and Pat Dobbs (2 wins). There is one jockey who has not had the best of times in the Northern Dancer Handicap; Ryan Moore has ridden 12 runners in the race without recording any wins.
Here are some of the top Northern Dancer Handicap jockey statistics over the last 20 renewals (R = Runners, W = Winners, P = Places including winners, Win LSP is based on 1pt Win and EW LSP is based on 0.5pt Win & 0.5pt Place):
| Jockey | R-W-P | Win | EW |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oisin Murphy | 7-3-4 | +26.00 | +15.56 |
| Silvestre De Sousa | 9-2-3 | +3.25 | +0.05 |
| William Buick | 8-2-4 | +9.00 | +7.00 |
| Pat Dobbs | 5-2-4 | +23.00 | +18.50 |
| Jim Crowley | 10-1-2 | -4.50 | -4.94 |
| Jamie Spencer | 7-1-1 | +5.00 | +0.88 |
| James Doyle | 6-1-2 | +7.00 | +5.20 |
| Kerrin McEvoy | 3-1-1 | +10.00 | +5.50 |
| Harry Davies | 3-1-1 | +3.50 | +1.30 |
| Jimmy Quinn | 3-1-1 | +2.50 | +0.70 |
2026 Northern Dancer Handicap Trends
Favourites finishing positions (oldest to latest): 1, 11, 8, 2, 11, 4, 11, 4, 2, 2, 3, 5, 4, 1, 4, 3, 1, 2, 5, 1
The percentage shown is the percentage of the total number of runners who fell under that factor. High percentages are less appealing than lower ones, as you would expect them to do well.
- 20 / 20 (71%) - No bigger than 20/1
- 20 / 20 (78%) - Dam is not FR/ITY/NZ/POL/UAE/USA bred
- 20 / 20 (78%) - Achieved an RPR of 90+ (Last 3)
- 20 / 20 (82%) - Highest Run is not G1/G3/Cl5
- 20 / 20 (82%) - No bigger than 12/1 (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (83%) - In a field of 4 - 13 (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (85%) - Not on GS/FM (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Ran in 4 - 36 races (Career)
- 20 / 20 (86%) - Ran in 2 - 12 races (1 Year)
- 20 / 20 (87%) - Had 3 - 15 placings (Career)
- 20 / 20 (88%) - Furthest ran 1m2½f - 2m
- 20 / 20 (89%) - Held an OR of 83+
- 20 / 20 (89%) - Fewer than 6 races (180 Days)
- 20 / 20 (89%) - Won by at least a neck (Last Win)
- 20 / 20 (89%) - Furthest Won 1m2f - 1m6½f
Remember to use the trends listed above, along with the Epsom racing predictions, to see if you can find the winner of the Northern Dancer Handicap. Did you know that we have an OLBG Betting School section on OLBG? It is a place to help you improve your betting experience with articles covering numerous topics.
Are you already a member? If not, then why not? With over £6,000 given away each month in the tipster competition, why not get involved? Remember, it is completely FREE! So, head over to the registration page to sign up today! If you are already a member, then share your thoughts on the Northern Dancer Handicap by adding a tip on the race here.
101 Ways to find Winners in Horse Racing
Northern Dancer Handicap Trend Analysis
❌ The worst performing factor that has failed to produce a single winner is when runners ran on Good To Soft ground when last winning, when backing these, the trend shows a record of 0-42.
Here are the most recent winning draws, along with the further placings in brackets:
- 2025: Winner in 2 (8,14) [14 Runners]
- 2024: Winner in 1 (5,15) [14 Runners]
- 2023: Winner in 1 (3,8) [8 Runners]
- 2022: Winner in 12 (11,9) [11 Runners]
- 2021: Winner in 5 (2,8) [10 Runners]
The courses that have produced the most winners of the Northern Dancer Handicap are Epsom, York, Newmarket (Rowley) and Windsor; there have been a total of 2 winners from each of those courses.
The race is open to both sexes, with the Male runners having produced a total of 19 winners from a total of 259 runners, whilst the Female runners have produced 1 winner from a total of 22 runners.
Looking over the past renewals, these are the stallions whose offspring have produced multiple winners of the Northern Dancer Handicap:
- Dubawi (2 Wins)
- Midnight Legend (2 Wins)
These are the stallions whose offspring have not produced a winner of the Northern Dancer Handicap despite multiple attempts:
- Cape Cross (0 Wins from 8 runners)
- Fantastic Light (0 Wins from 6 runners)
- Rock Of Gibraltar (0 Wins from 6 runners)
- Beat Hollow (0 Wins from 5 runners)
Looking at the winning odds over the last 20 renewals, the biggest-priced winner was Blue Surf in 2015, winning for Amanda Perrett at odds of 20/1 under the guidance of Pat Dobbs. Looking at the runners at the head of the market over the last 20 renewals, there have been 4 winning favourites in the race. Remember to use the best racing tipsters along with the information on this page to find a bet on the 2026 Northern Dancer Handicap.
Route to the Northern Dancer Handicap
Many trainers will target races to use as prep races before coming to the Northern Dancer Handicap, these are the races which the recent winners ran in before coming here:
| Info | Last Race |
|---|---|
| 2025 - Small Fry Chester - 1st of 12 (13/8) | Xenon Workplace Apprentice Handicap |
| 2024 - Relentless Voyager Newmarket (Rowley) - 3rd of 9 (13/2) | William Hill Epic Boost Handicap |
| 2023 - Sheer Rocks Ascot - 1st of 8 (11/1) | Peroni Nastro Azzurro Handicap |
| 2022 - Midnights Legacy Plumpton - 3rd of 6 (5/1) | Betting.Bet Sussex Champion Hurdle Handicap Hurdle |
| 2021 - Midnights Legacy Salisbury - 2nd of 7 (20/1) | AJN Steelstock "Delivering Steel Expertise" City Bowl Handicap |
| 2019 - Soto Sizzler Epsom - 1st of 12 (11/4) | Investec Corporate & Investment Banking Great Metropolitan Handicap |
| 2018 - Dash Of Spice Kempton (AW) - 2nd of 13 (11/8) | 32Red Handicap |
| 2017 - Soldier In Action York - 6th of 8 (14/1) | Jorvik Stakes |
| 2016 - Green Light Windsor - 2nd of 7 (2/1) | Equestrian Surfaces Ltd Handicap |
| 2015 - Blue Surf Curragh - 8th of 21 (16/1) | Irish Cesarewitch |
Article Contributor Information
We are blessed with an excellent team of specialists and experts at OLBG. Contributing to creating and maintaining this Northern Dancer Handicap Preview are at hand, Andy and Darren. They both work on the Horse racing tips team team looking after the tipsters and managing the tips settlement, whilst also creating and managing all of the horse racing event previews for Flat Racing.
Darren Brett
Tipster Competition Manager
Andy Powell
Content Editor
Races Covered at the Epsom Derby Festival
Here is the 2026 schedule for the two-day Epsom Derby Festival, each race will be linked to the race blog, and details of last year's winner are in the table below.
Epsom Derby Festival races for Friday 5th June 2026
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| Surrey Stakes | Formal (GB) 3yo - 9/4 | Andrew Balding Oisin Murphy |
| Woodcote Stakes | Maximized (GB) 2yo - 6/5 | Charlie Appleby William Buick |
| Coronation Cup | Jan Brueghel (IRE) 4yo - 100/30 | A P O'Brien Ryan Moore |
| Betfred Handicap | Ecureuil Secret (FR) 4yo - 28/1 | Richard Fahey Oisin Orr |
| Epsom Oaks | Minnie Hauk (IRE) 3yo - 9/2 | A P O'Brien Ryan Moore |
| Trustatrader Handicap | Mirsky (GB) 6yo - 9/4 | David O'Meara Oisin Murphy |
| Debenhams Handicap | Partisan Hero (IRE) 5yo - 7/2 | David Loughnane Silvestre De Sousa |
Epsom Derby Festival races for Saturday 6th June 2026
| Race | Last Winner | Info |
|---|---|---|
| Princess Elizabeth Stakes | Spiritual (IRE) 4yo - 9/1 | John & Thady Gosden Robert Havlin |
| Diomed Stakes | Persica (IRE) 4yo - 6/4 | Richard Hannon Ryan Moore |
| Epsom 3yo Dash | Stormy Impact (GB) 3yo - 7/1 | Richard Fahey Warren Fentiman |
| Epsom Dash | Jm Jungle (IRE) 5yo - 7/1 | John & Sean Quinn Jason Hart |
| Epsom Derby | Lambourn (IRE) 3yo - 13/2 | A P O'Brien Wayne Lordan |
| Northern Dancer Handicap | Small Fry (IRE) 4yo - 9/4 | Gary & Josh Moore Ashley Lewis |
| Lester Piggott Handicap | War Hawk (IRE) 3yo - 9/2 | Simon & Ed Crisford Jack Mitchell |
| JRA Tokyo Trophy Handicap | Sondad (GB) 4yo - 12/1 | Michael & David Easterby Joanna Mason |
