2025 Ascot & Haydock Saturday Preview – DS
2025 Ascot & Haydock Saturday Preview
We are not going to dwell on last weekend (or the previous three). Check out Dave Stevos’ 2025 Ascot & Haydock Saturday tips are below.
1.15 Haydock – Betfair Handicap Hurdle (Class 2)
The ground is currently good to soft at Haydock but with rain forecast on Saturday morning, it will probably be closer to soft. Steven Crawford won this a couple of years ago and he runs Kinbara Firstdraft but he lacks a recent run and he would prefer quicker ground than this.
The only outsider I can make a half-decent case for on old form is Minella Missile. Now, it must be said that a leap of faith is required to back this horse. Since winning a Grade 2 novice at Cheltenham back in November 2023 he has run just six times with five of those coming last season.
Never Figured
All five of his runs last term were nowhere near his best and he never figured in a class 3 handicap back at Cheltenham last month on his only run of this campaign. His mark has now slipped to 125 and if he could rediscover his mojo, there is no doubt he is capable of winning off that rating.
Obviously, this is not a horse to be lumping on because there is a fairly decent chance Williams won’t get him back on track. However, if he does revive, he is more than up to running into the money and odds of 16/1 are just about big enough to warrant a small each way bet.
2025 Ascot & Haydock Saturday Tip: Minella Missile e/w @ 16/1
1.30 Ascot – 1965 Chase (Grade 2)
The first graded race of the day and as is often the case, it’s a pitifully small field. We do have some intriguing runners in here though, none more so than the mercurial French raider Il Est Francais. On his day, this horse is a machine but he has become rather hard to predict.
Since his excellent King George second last December, he has been beaten 26l, won by 7l (over hurdles) and when he was last seen in May, he was beaten 11.5l in a listed hurdle at Compiegne. It is hard to know what to expect from him back over fences on his first run of the season and odds of 9/4 are not very appealing.
Jango Baie is around the same price but he was an easy winner on his seasonal reappearance last year and he’s a course winner over timber so he probably represents better value at the odds.
The lightly raced Gidleigh Park is no mug but he would probably prefer softer ground and Master Chewy has stamina to prove for this trip so last year’s winner, the racefit Pic D’orhy, might be the one to be on. However, odds of 7/2 are too short for us so this will be a no bet race.
2025 Ascot & Haydock Saturday Tip: No Bet
2.10 Punchestown – Morgiana Hurdle (Grade 1)
We have Grade 1 action across the pond in Ireland too. Only four horses run and I would have skipped the race but given that I have put Glen Kiln up as one of my horses to follow this season, I had to give him a quick mention.
To be honest, I would have preferred if Harry Kelly’s charge was running over a longer distance on his first try at Grade 1 level. I would also have preferred if he wasn’t coming up against the brilliant Lossiemouth. She is a top class mare and she is unbeaten on heavy ground so it is hard to see her getting turned over here.
Irancy and Ndaawi are solid horses too but whether they’ll relish this ground is up for debate. Ndaawi has at least run well on heavy once but Irancy’s three previous wins have come on yielding and good ground so he definitely has a bit to prove on this surface.
With no each way betting available I’m not going to tip Glen Kiln up here, but I might do a small reverse forecast with Lossiemouth on the day if there is heavy in the ground description. Hopefully Harry Kelly’s charge runs a big race and sets himself up for a Grade 1 over further next time out.
2025 Ascot & Haydock Saturday Tip: No Bet
2.25 Haydock – Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle (Premier)
It seems like a lifetime ago that Electric Mason ran a cracker for us at Cheltenham at tasty odds. He found just one too good on his first try at 3m (good) and with that run under his belt and with his stamina now proven, he has to be worth chancing again at the more than fair price of 14/1.
The handicapper hiked him up 4lb for that 2.75l defeat so he’ll need a career best but given his form on softer ground, the combination of the underfoot conditions here and this trip might just eke out the necessary improvement.
Chris Gordon’s charge has form figures of 311 from three starts on soft ground so the forecast rain is of no concern for him. If he turns up in the same form as he did at Cheltenham last month, Electric Mason can surely make his presence felt at odds of 14/1.
2025 Ascot & Haydock Saturday Tip: Electric Mason e/w @ 14/1 (5 places) NAP
2.40 Ascot – Ladbrokes Ascot Hurdle (Grade 2)
Given his unblemished record at this venue, a chance is taken on Crambo on his seasonal reappearance. On his first run of last season he landed the Long Walk Hurdle here over 3m (gd-sft). That was his third run at this track and it was his third win.
He also won the Long Walk here in 2023 and in 2022 he won his maiden over this C&D. After his win here last year his form tailed off and it was a similar story the previous year. Perhaps he is just a horse that comes to hand early in the season and first time out might be the best time to catch him (3/3 first time up in the last three seasons).
The main worry for him today is the trip but he won easily on his last start at 2m4f back in October 2023 so hopefully, he’ll get away with it. He returns with his yard amongst the winners, hopefully Crambo is fit and ready to rock. If he is, he can outrun his odds of 14/1.
2025 Ascot & Haydock Saturday Tip: Crambo e/w @ 14/1
3.00 Haydock – Betfair Chase (Grade 1)
Just five runners and not a race I’ll be getting involved in but it’s definitely worth watching. Grey Dawning is a shade of odds on to make a winning seasonal reappearance and his yard has been in sparkling form.
However, he was beaten by Royal Pagaille in this last year and it would be no surprise were Venetia Williams’ veteran to repeat the dose. The hugely progressive stayer Haiti Couleurs adds further intrigue and the Irish Grand National hero has a race fitness edge over those two rivals so he has to have a huge chance, as does Handstands, another contender that has a run under his belt.
Stellar Story completes the field and his sole win last season came first time out and he’ll also appreciate any rain that falls. If a gun was put to my head, I’d probably take a chance on Handstands at the prices but I’m happy to just watch this race. No bet.
2025 Ascot & Haydock Saturday Tip: No Bet
3.35 Haydock – Handicap Chase (Class 2)
Nothing really appealed at a price in the 3.15 at Ascot so we move onto the finale at Haydock. The one I like at okay odds here is the Oliver Greenall and Joshua Guerriero trained 8yo Duke Of Deception.
This horse won over C&D off 119 on his final start of last season and he reappeared to win a class 2 handicap at Kelso off 127 four weeks ago. Both those wins came on good ground but he has won twice on soft, including over C&D.
The handicapper nudged him up 3lb for that Kelso win so the 8yo is on a career high mark now but there could be more to come from him on a track where he boasts form figures of 121. At odds of 11/1, Duke Of Deception is the each way selection.
