The last daylight Harestock Handicap of 2026 produced a bumper edition with 21 competitors navigating the course. The benign conditions may have assisted in the 5 sub 7 minute times and newbie Sam Curry posting a sub 6 minute time (5:53!), but still not quite marking his debut with a victory. We welcomed 5 newcomers to Harestock providing a challenge for the handicap scorer. Despite this 11 competitors were within 10 seconds of the sweet spot of their predicted time.
Having said that the top three finishers were debutantes, Benjamin Cartledge leading the pack with Will Cartledge close behind and Sam Curry completing the trio. Notable mentions should go to Karen Hazlitt as her improving time gained her fourth, while another newcomer, Natalie Martinez, strode in fifth and even Helen Jones, a regular at the club but strangely new to Harestock was only 5 seconds off her predicted time.
The next Handicap will be the 1 October and the event will be taking place in Winchester dusk, so dont forget to wear lighting, we love radiant runners.
Your Ersatz Handicapper,
hopefully normal service will be resumed next time when out HH in chief will be returning from his birding sojourn.