This is Haydock so we have to start with the Ground and the weather, unfortunately. It's probably soft side of Good, more closer to Soft and Good to Soft and with plenty of showers on the forecasts it seems they will get some rain, that's more likely than none at all or a deluge although you can't rule either out.

 

I'm going to focus therefore on form with soft Going and also form at and beyond the trip as I don't think it'll suit any top of the ground horse particularly.

 

The hot favourite is GAASSEE its gone 1-1-1-1 and could be a Group horse. At 5/4 you pay your money and take your chance, I'm 80% sure it'll win but the price opens up the market so I'll look for each way value.

 

Liverpool Knight is another who is improving and from a Yard really making a splash, how good the Class 4 race it won at Windsor was we'll find out later but at the price I think there are a few with more concrete form. Get Shirty is up 6 lbs and has form figures of 1-2-1-1; its got scope and stamina, rates a huge danger but I just fancied a few a little bit more and the price has been largely found I think.

 

Brentford Hope is another who I pondered over for a long time and reluctantly by-pass, it's always looked like a 12 furlong horse, appreciates cut but that stamina niggle just put me off with a few proven beyond this trip and possibly equally progressive still or very well handicapped. If he and Get Shirty follow the favourite home it would be no surprise. Something Enticing drops down in Class and would have a chance on some old form for David Elsworth but just doesn't really look that well handicapped at the moment to me.

 

ON TO VICTORY is mega frustrating as it's a perennial slow starter with a tendency to fall out of the stall, on a strict interpretation of taking off the yardage it's lost at the start on a few occasions and the final winning margin of those races it may be argued its the best handicapped horse in the race, but visually passing beaten horses from a hopeless start can be deceiving. IF you can watch on TV and it only gave less than 5 lengths start it may be worth a crafty place bet "in running" in the first few furlongs. Fancy Man has a great Course record and could outrun big odds but I was left with 3 I like to take on the favourite at nice e/w prices.

 

SECRET SHADOW is slightly better off with INCHICORE on recent meeting between the pair and I think both can take a hand here. Both are strong travelling types and both still have scope to improve a little now that they have physically matured and I'm happy to have an investment in both off their marks and at the likely odds.

 

At big Odds IF it started in Heavy Going it's well worth an "exchange bet" on Torcello but the long priced one I really do quietly fancy is VINDOLANDA who has Course and Distance winning form, proven stamina for further, a prominent running style and after a decent seasonal debut could steal a place from the front it they let it set sensible fractions and it starts to turn up the wick as they go in to the Straight.