2024 Haydock & Ascot Saturday Preview

Last week went well for us. Our 18/1 e/w NB Guard Your Dreams got us off to a decent start by nicking a place. Charlie Uberalles then landed the NAP at 16/1, winning in fine style at Doncaster. We are back in action at the last major meeting before the Festive season, check out Dave Stevos’ 2024 Haydock & Ascot Saturday preview and tips below.

1.50 Ascot – Howden Graduation Chase (Class 2)

Only four runners and not a betting race for each way players. Jungle Boogie loves going right handed and if I was going to have a bet, it would be on him. He has career form figures of 11141 going right handed and he has gone well fresh before. However, he’s just 7/2 and too short for the blog. No bet.

2024 Haydock & Ascot Saturday Tip: No Bet

2.05 Haydock – Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase (Class 2)

I was very sweet on Percussion for the Becher Chase but unfortunately, the weather was woeful and the meeting was cancelled. He pitches up here instead and I am going to keep the faith. He would have been running from a couple of pounds out of the handicap at Aintree but he gets to race off his correct mark of 125 in this.

The booking of Brian Hughes for the first time for the son of Malinas catches the eye. He has finished in the first four in 43 of his 62 previous rides for Laura Morgan, winning on 11 of them.

Percussion has never run at Haydock before but I can see no reason why he won’t handle the track. All his best form is going left handed and he has won over 3m2f on testing ground, so stamina won’t be an issue. Back in June this lad was beaten just 3L in the Summer Cup at Uttoxeter off 129 and he is in here off a 4lb lower mark. The visor is an interesting addition and if he takes to the new equipment, he can surely outrun his odds of 14/1.

2024 Haydock & Ascot Saturday Tip: Percussion e/w @ 14/1 NAP

2.25 Ascot – Long Walk Hurdle (Grade 1)

The big race of the day and a surprisingly decent turnout with ten horses declared. I am a big fan of Strong Leader, though I’d prefer if he was still coming into these races at double figure odds. The cat is well and truly out of the bag regarding his ability now and this looks a gilt edged opportunity for him to notch up another Grade 1 victory.

However, at much bigger odds I think Eagle Fang is worth a second look. He had some decent form at two miles last season but he ran an absolute cracker when upped to 2m4f in the Grade 2 Lismullen Hurdle at Navan last time and he wasn’t far behind a couple of battled hardened veterans who, if they were running in this, would surely be single figure odds.

Home By The Lee and Bob Olinger filled the first two places at Navan, rated 154 and 160 respectively. The handicapper wasn’t overly impressed, handing Eagle Fang a rating of 144 but I think he could easily have given him 150. As a 4yo, there could still be more to come from the son of Free Eagle and his form figures going right handed read 22312. If he sees out the extra half mile, he could sneak into the places here so at 40/1, he is the e/w selection.

2024 Haydock & Ascot Saturday Tip: Eagle Fang e/w @ 40/1

2.40 Haydock – Betfred Handicap Hurdle (Class 3)

On better ground I’d have been interested in Rewired off his last winning mark but he has done all of his winning on ground with good in the description. Berties Ballet is a horse I had high hopes for last year but he’s been very disappointing this season. He won here on heavy last year and if he repeated the form of his Kelso Grade 2 fourth, he could hack up here off 116 but there isn’t a lot of value in his odds of 7/1 given how poorly he has run this year. No Bet.

2024 Haydock & Ascot Saturday Tip: No Bet

3.00 Ascot – Howden Silver Cup Handicap Chase (Premier)

Trelawne is a horse I rate very highly and if he can put in a clear round of jumping, he might be tough to beat here. However, I am going to take a chance on his stablemate Two For Gold, a horse that rarely runs a bad race at this track.

On his seasonal reappearance, his first run after a wind-op, he ran a cracker here behind Chianti Classico, beaten 7.5l into fourth off 151. Last March, he was beaten just 0.5l over C&D behind Sam Brown off 149. In April 2023 he hacked up over C&D off 150 and overall, he has course form figures (over fences) of 221224.

He is in off 150 today, conditions are fine and Jonathan Burke is 7/39 with twelve top four finishes when riding for this stable. At odds of 14/1, Two For Gold should be in the shake up.

2024 Haydock & Ascot Saturday Tip: Two For Gold e/w @ 14/1 NB

3.35 Ascot – Ladbrokes Handicap Hurdle (Premier)

Dysart Enos is viewed by many pundits as one of the best handicapped horses in training. She may have needed her comeback run at Cheltenham so we’ll find out today if the ‘experts’ are correct. She is 3/3 on right handed tracks, the ground is fine for her so there’ll be no excuses if she doesn’t win.

At a bigger price, Fiercely Proud is another one that could be on a decent mark right now. Trained by Ben Pauling, this horse was highly tried last season and was far from disgraced in a couple of Grade 2 Novice hurdles. At Doncaster in January he finished 2l behind Jeriko Du Reponet off level weights and he is now rated 134. A month later he finished 4.5l behind Lump Sum, who won the Welsh Champion Hurdle off 134 on his next start (now rated 144).

Pauling’s charge hasn’t made a big impact in his three runs since then, all in handicaps, but he did shape with promise when given too much to do at Cheltenham last time out when he finished 8.5l behind Dysart Enos. Two of his three wins over hurdles have come going right handed, he was still bang in contention when falling two out on his only previous run at this track so at odds of 20/1, Fiercely Proud is the e/w selection.  

2024 Haydock & Ascot Saturday Tip: Fiercely Proud e/w @ 20/1 (4 places)

-DaveStevos