The last big Saturday meeting before the Derby comes from Haydock. Matty Sutcliffe continues on his quest for value with four selections across three races in the north west.
Published: 1.50pm, Wednesday, 22nd May (Odds correct at time of publishing)
1:15 Haydock – Betfred Silver Bowl Handicap (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) (3yo) – Nellie Leylax 7/1 1pt WIN + Candonomore 10/1 0.5pt WIN
The softening ground will enhance the credentials of NELLIE LEYLAX, who posted a career best performance when taking a handicap off top-weight on soft ground here last month. Five of the last seven renewals of the Silver Bowl were won by a last time out winner, and horses toward the fore of the weight (particularly those carrying 8-6+) appear to fare well, which bodes well for the gelded son of Calyx.
Despite beginning his career winning over five furlongs, he improved for the step up to seven furlongs here on handicap debut (heavy ground) in August despite taking a keen grip, and subsequently ran with credit off top-weight again at Doncaster, before finishing a two lengths fourth in the valuable EBF £100,000 Final at York last October.
Although he was a sprinter, progeny of Calyx have already flourished over a mile with likes of Eben Shaddad, Purple Lily and Accumulate, and given Nellie Leylax is a half-brother to a winner over 1m2f and the dam (by High Chaparral) is from a family of middle distance sorts, it’s no surprise that Nellie Leylax got the mile trip well last time out. It’s potentially hard to weigh up that form given he was granted an easy lead, but he was valid for the winning margin as he wandered around and ran a tad green in the final furlong, so this bigger field may suit and he can take his course handicap record to 3-3.
I’d also like to save on CANDONOMORE for Tim Easterby, a beautifully well built son of Almanzor who looked to have filled out his big frame over the winter when winning with a C&D maiden with any ease last month. He shaped with promise in all three of his two year old runs, firstly beaten a short head at 33/1 by subsequent Acomb Stakes 3rd Loose Cannon, then third to the 93r Zabriskie Point, and finally beaten three lengths in the aforementioned EBF Final at York when hitting the front too soon. He was only three quarter of a length behind Nellie Leylax there and has a 5lbs swing in the weights, and while it’s not a sure thing that two year old form will hold up, it’s unlikely they’ll be much between them again.
I’m also hoping he’ll be held up, or at least sit behind leaders/midfield, as when ran on soft ground this race has often favoured those from rear, and he appears to be suited by having a target to aim at as when we saw him hit the front on the far side at York, he weakened out of things. There’s plenty (at this stage before decs) who’ll prefer to be up on the front end, so the race could pan out favourably for him if they revert to hold up tactics and his light weight on soft ground will surely be preferable.
1:50 Haydock – Betfred Temple Stakes (Group 2) (Class 1) (3yo+) – Seven Questions 12/1 1pt 3 places EW
There was no fluke about SEVEN QUESTIONS’ success in the Palace House Stakes, when returning at an SP of 33/1 for us and I’m happy to follow up again. The cheek-pieces evidently sharpened him up particularly in the closing stages, and I thought once he hit top gear, he won going away at the line.
He shaped well on soft ground as a two year old, winning a Ripon Novice before placing in the Mill Reef and G2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte, so conditions shouldn’t be an issue and given he stays six furlongs, this galloping five will suit on soft going. He once again receives weight from his elders, and looks overpriced with three of the top four in the market are lacking a recent run, with the unknown quantity the Australian raider.
3:00 Haydock – Betfred Hattrick Heaven New Boston Handicap (Class 3) (4yo+ 0-90) – Metabolt 8/1 1pt WIN
METABOLT fared little chance from when well backed into favouritism at Chester earlier this month. Rossa Ryan couldn’t get him handy from stall nine, was second last on the turn for home and kicked too late, having to come widest of all. He still shaped well from a 243 day break, and is likely to have come on for that effort.
The gelded son of Night Of Thunder will be better suited to Saturday’s softening conditions, and his course and distance form reads a 1st, a neck second and a two lengths sixth from three starts. It’s slightly concerning he’s now 0-4 in class three handicaps, but he posted an RPR of 88 when a three lengths third in a 0-90 C3 at Newbury in August, giving 8lbs to the winner who was only beaten five lengths in the Cambridgeshire next time out, and won a C3 of 87 (99 RPR) on the Rowley Mile earlier this month, so there’s hope that Metabolt’s mark of 82 is a workable one.
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