2024 Haydock & Beverley Saturday Tips – DS
2024 Haydock & Beverley Saturday Preview
We drew a blank last Friday at Epsom but we got back on track with two nice places on Saturday. Royal Dress really should have won but she got no luck in running and finished third. Deira Mile landed our NB e/w in fourth and he’s one to watch out for in the Leger. Now, it is time for Dave Stevos’ 2024 Haydock & Beverley Saturday preview, check out his free tips below.
1.50 Haydock – Achilles Stakes (Listed)
A very tricky Listed sprint to start the day and the ground is good to firm. Tees Spirit and Live In The Dream should ensure it is run at a proper clip and Democracy Dilemma is another one that likes to be up there early. It is a stiff 5f at Haydock and when Live In The Dream ran here in the Temple Stakes last year, he didn’t quite get home. His draw in stall 3 is a negative too.
Commanche Falls is an old friend of the blog but he ran poorly for us at York last time out. This will be his first ever run at 5f after thirty seven starts and he’ll need the pace to collapse late on. He has already won twice at Haydock over 6f in handicap company but I’d have liked to see more from him on his last couple of starts before backing him here.
Race Run To suit
Her fitness must be taken on trust but if she is ready to go, this race should be run to suit Pink Crystal. She has the worst of the draw in stall 1 but she’ll be held up so it isn’t that big of a negative. The 5y daughter of Shamardal’s last win came in a Listed heat at Ayr in September over 5.5f and she is at her best when swooping late off a fast pace.
On her penultimate run of 2023 she got to within a length of Annaf and Commanche Falls in an Ascot G3 (6f gd). She didn’t get the clearest of runs so she was a shade unlucky not to get even closer. William Haggas’ charge has a decent record fresh and she should get a solid pace to aim at here. At odds of 18/1, she is the e/w selection.
2024 Haydock & Beverley Saturday Tip: Pink Crystal e/w @ 18/1
2.05 Beverley – Hilary Needler Trophy Stakes (Class 2)
A cracking renewal of this 2yo fillies’ contest. Fifteen will go to post and it looks a really open race. Call Me Harswell, Aviation Time, Mademoiselle, Storm Call and Larchill Lass are all possible pace angles so the chances are, this might set up for a closer.
The one I’ll take a chance on is Nad Alshiba Snow. She was sent off an unconsidered 28/1 shot on her debut over C&D but she belied those odds with a super run. Drawn in stall 1, Ali Rawlinson settled her in behind the early leaders. He pushed her into the lead a furlong out and she was just reeled in close to home by Moving Force.
Almost three lengths behind her in fourth was Assertively. He ran in the Woodcote next time and was only beat 4L after being denied a clear run. The winner is the 5/2 second fav for the Two Year Old Trophy later on today so surely Mick Appleby’s daughter of Oasis Dream is a shade too big here at 12/1. She has course experience in the bag, Ali Rawlinson keeps the ride and at the prices, she is worth taking a chance on e/w.
2024 Haydock & Beverley Saturday Tip: Nad Alshiba Snow e/w @ 12/1 (4 places) NAP
2.25 Haydock – Betfred Handicap (Class 2)
The outsider here is Wise Eagle. If the trip today was two miles I’d be tempted by him but over 12f, no. The rest are all 12/1 or shorter and this is an easy race to swerve. No bet.
2024 Haydock & Beverley Saturday Tip: No Bet
2.40 Beverley – Two Year Old Trophy (Class 2)
Moving Force was impressive on debut over C&D and with Fahey in flying form, he surely should be favourite. Fahey won it last year with Bombay Bazaar and his previous experience could give him the edge over the unraced 7/4 shot, Shareholder. That $460k purchase is nicely bred but I’d imagine he’ll need to run to 90 to win this.
Regal Gem won nicely over 6f at Pontefract on debut two weeks ago. He is by a classy sire in Zoustar but the drop back to 5f has to be a slight concern. The ground is an unknown for Jm Jhingree, a soft ground winner on his second start at Redcar over 5f. Rajetariat finished third behind Moving Force on his second start here last time out and it is hard to see him turning that around.
With just six runners and two places available, we’ll also give this race a wide berth. No bet.
2024 Haydock & Beverley Saturday Tip: No Bet
3.00 Haydock – Lester Piggott Stakes (Group 3)
A record sized field for this Group 3 with fourteen fillies lining up in the stalls. Unlike in sprints, a low draw is an advantage over this 12f trip at Haydock. The one I like from a plum draw in stall 1 is the Hughie Morrisson trained Mistral Star.
By Frankel, this 4yo filly made a very pleasing comeback in a 10f listed heat at Ayr 17 days ago. She was only beat 2L for the win in fifth and you’d imagine she’ll improve plenty for the run. Last year, she was also beaten first time up but she then bounced back with a win in a Salisbury Novice on her second outing (10f gd/fm).
Black Type Mission
Two starts later she added another win, this time over 12f (gd) in handicap company. She absolutely hosed up off 79, beating the now 95 rated Truthful by 5L. On her next start Morrison went in search of black type at Saint-Cloud. It was mission accomplished as she chased home La Mehana to finish second over 12f, beat just 1.25L for the win. The winner finished a fine third in a Longchamp G1 next time out so the form is strong.
It looked like she needed her run at Ayr last time and surely it was a warm up for a tilt at a race at this level. Cliff Lee takes over from Jason Hart in the saddle and he is 2/10 with two top 4s when riding for Morrison. The step back up in trip is a plus, fast ground is fine so at odds of 14/1, Mistral Star is the e/w selection.
2024 Haydock & Beverley Saturday Tip: Mistral Star e/w @ 14/1 (4 places) nb
3.15 Beverley – Bet365 Handicap (Class 4)
I usually leave these low grade handicaps well alone these days but I can’t resist having a small flutter on Yoshimi here. Trained by Micheal Herrington, this 7yo son of Dream Ahead loves fast ground. His last three wins have come off 70, 63 and 68. He races off 69 today so he is not handicapped out of this.
Michael Herrington trains this lad and he is one of the only front runners in this contest. He is drawn out wide so he’ll need to be smart from the gates but hopefully he’ll be able to tack across early on. His six career starts at 7f on good to firm ground have produced form figures of 181112 and he ran a cracker in a maiden on his only previous C&D start.
There’s already been a few nibbles for Yoshimi but 25/1 is still available in a place and 20/1 or bigger is acceptable. Hopefully he runs a big race.
2024 Haydock & Beverley Saturday Tip: Yoshimi e/w @ 25/1 (5 places)
3.35 Haydock – John Of Gaunt Stakes (Group 3)
Last but not least, the Group 3 John Of Gaunt Stakes. Another solid turnout with a dozen declared and a 7f trip awaits. Pogo won this two years ago and he is 7/1 to repeat the dose after another fine C&D effort last time out when he had Witch Hunter behind. He should run a huge race.
Witch Hunter ran a massive race for us in the Lockinge last time out to land the place money in third at huge odds. He has a couple of lengths to find with Pogo on their meeting here in May and I wouldn’t be surprised if he got a lot closer today. The bookies are wise to him now though so we’ll be leaving him alone this time.
Point Lynas is sure to pester Pogo for the lead so theoretically, this should be run at a proper clip. The one that could suit is Sirona. David Menuisier usually places his horses well and this daughter of Soldier’s Hollow ran a blinder to get some black type in a Lingfield G3 last time out on her first run for the yard. She was only 0.5L behind the winner Great Generation and on another day, she might have won.
She got a bit outpaced in that heat but I really liked how she stayed on at the finish and I am hoping for something similar today. Oisin Murphy now takes over in the saddle and he is 4/25 with 11 top 4s when riding for Menuisier in the UK. This is harder than her last race but odds of 16/1 look a touch generous to me, fingers crossed she finishes fast and late for the e/w money.
