Saturday’s racing sees the ITV cameras focus on Haydock for one of the north west track’s biggest days of flat racing during the year. Joe Napier has four tips for you in the quartet of races broadcast on terrestrial TV on the day.
1.50 Haydock – Betfred Passionate About Sport Achilles Stakes (Listed Race)
Live In The Dream is by far the form standout having won the Group 1 Nunthorpe Stakes at York last season. However, the volatile nature of Pattern level 5f sprints means prices around evens will rarely appeal unless a horse has a prolific strike rate. Live In The Dream is only six from 21 in his career.
Each-way alternatives are worth seeking out, and the one in the best form is Robert Cowell’s DEMOCRACY DILEMMA. He was only ever a handicapper for David Evans as a three-year-old last term, but has improved significantly in his three runs in Britain for his new yard. He won first time out at Chester, before narrow runner-up defeats at Windsor and Epsom. Those runs continued his trend of improvement though being off marks in the 100s, and he may well prove up to this class now.
2.25 Haydock – Betfred ‘Play Fred’s £5 Million’ Handicap
It might be worth avoiding the pedigree clues against him because MAGHLAAK looks to have an excellent form chance if he gets 1m4f. He is extremely well-related, being a three parts brother to half-brother to Royal Hunt Cup winner Afaak and a half-brother to multiple Group 2 winner Mutasaabeq, both of whom excelled over 1m.
HIs own sire, Muhaarar, is not an obvious bearer of greater stamina, but the manner of Maghlaak’s return success at Goodwood, in which he stayed on stoutly over 1m2f on soft, gave the visual impression at least that this trip would be worth a go. His disappointment at Redcar last time out is more forgivable than other form issues blighting his opponents, so he is taken to improve past his mark of 89 here.
3.00 Haydock – Betfred Nifty 50 Lester Piggott Fillies’ Stakes (Group 3)
Madame Ambassador was able to give LADY BOBA a stone and defeat her at Newmarket last October, but the places could well be turned on their head eight months on. Ralph Beckett’s daughter of Lope De Vega stepped forward from that runner-up effort off a mark of 82 to win in Listed company at Fontainebleu.
Notably, that came on very soft ground and Haydock is due some showers ahead of Saturday. Should the ground get substantially softer, as expected, then she can turn the tables on Charlie Johnston’s charge and beat the rest in what looks an open Group 3 with no standouts. If she steps forward as a four-year-old, she may prove more than up to this level.
3.35 Haydock – Betfred John Of Gaunt Stakes (Group 3)
Another wide open Group 3 is the last Haydock race on ITV on Saturday. Noble Dynasty’s form at Newmarket looks outstanding now and Witch Hunter drops down two tiers having finished third in the Group 1 Lockinge, but neither have extensive experience of ground softer than good, and if that prevails, there are alternatives, namely Richard Fahey’s RAMAZAN.
The son of Kodiac has strung up a string of 2s on his formbook, but he can count himself unlucky in a couple of those, bumping into two improving types in Significantly and Shartash, while also being denied more or less on the line over 7f at Redcar and Ascot. He has enough pace to deal with 6f and has won on soft in the past. He looks ready for Group company now.
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