Ascot and Haydock Saturday Tips by Dave Stevos
Ascot and Haydock Saturday Tips: All Live ITV Races
The ground turned very testing at Ascot and that didn’t suit our selections. In The Detail didn’t run badly but he was unsuited by the conditions. Fakiera wasn’t given a hard ride and had to settle for 2nd. He will probably be a handicap winner at Cheltenham. Ar Mest was also ridden very considerably by Tom Cheeseman who seemed desperate not to put him in the race. Press Your Luck hated the ground and unfortunately Bold Plan was a non-runner. We are back in action on Saturday and the Long Walk Hurdle is the feature. Check out Dave Stevos’ Ascot and Haydock Saturday tips below…
Ascot Saturday: 1.50pm – Handicap Chase (Class 2)
A quality 19f class 2 handicap kicks off proceedings on ITV4 at Ascot on Saturday. A dozen are due to go to post and if the ground is the same as it was on Friday it will be very testing. One that will enjoy the conditions and arrives in solid form is Enrichissant for David Bridgewater and Brendan Powell. This 6yo son of Speedmaster was a good 3rd last time out at Doncaster, beat 2L off 125. The handicapper has left his mark alone and he sneaks into this off a feather weight of 10st 1lb.
This horse wears the famous colours carried by The Giant Bolster and he should stay further than today’s trip in time. However, on ground like today’s it should be ideal as his last win came at Huntingdon on heavy over 20f. Ascot will provide more of a staying test, even over a furlong shorter, and Brendan Powell will be keen to ensure that Enrichissant’s stamina comes into play by going hard from the front.
His last chase win came off 114 (by 18L) but his run last time proved he could be competitive off his current mark of 125. Brendan Powell is 14/84 (27 top 4s) when riding for Bridgewater. Hopefully he can enhance that near 50% frame hitting strike rate on Saturday. At odds of 14/1, Enrichissant is the each way selection.
Ascot and Haydock Saturday Tips: Enrichissant e/w @ 14/1 (5 Places)
Haydock Saturday: 2.05pm – Handicap Hurdle (Class 2)
The ground is heavy at Haydock so stamina and an ability to handle the condition will be crucial. 8 will go to post in this 19f handicap hurdle and it is another pretty competitive looking heat. Tim Vaughan had a big priced winner at Cheltenham the other week and perhaps Electron Bleu can run a big race for him in this. He is in off a rating of 122 here and Charlie Price claims a valuable 5lb. On his 2L 2nd to The Wolf (now rated 144 over fences) he could be potentially well treated running off effectively 117.
He has yet to encounter heavy ground since moving to the UK from France. There is a good chance these conditions could bring out the best in the son of Saddex. His best form in France came on bottomless ground, including a win over 17f and a place over 23f. His best UK handicap run came at Cheltenham just over a year ago when he was 3rd in a hurdle race over 21f (sft). A repeat of that would put him right in the mix. He should also now be at peak fitness after a satisfactory comeback effort at Wincanton. 18/1 looks a more than fair price and Electron Bleu is worth backing e/w at those odds.
Ascot and Haydock Saturday: Electron Bleu e/w @ 18/1
Ascot: 2.25pm – Long Walk Hurdle (Grade 1)
The big race of the weekend is the Grade 1 Long Walk Hurdle and 10 go to post. It is one of the best renewals for some time with two proven Grade 1 performers with the added spice of a rapidly improving handicapper who is on a 10 timer. Thyme Hill and Paisley Park head the market and they are the class horses in the race. Paisley Park has been relatively disappointing the last twice. However, he was entitled to need his comeback last time when 1.5L behind Thyme Hill (24f gd). The Hobbs horse was having his first run back too though so granted they both improve, he should uphold that form. However, very testing ground is not ideal for either of those horses.
Rain To Suit Main
Unlike his two chief market rivals, Main Fact will absolutely relish the ground. Martin Pipe’s 7yo son of Blame has been a revelation this season. He was won 9 in a row over hurdles and on the flat and his jumps handicap mark has risen from 104 in Jan 2020 to 154 now. He surged clear in a Grade 3 handicap at Haydock last time (24.5f sft) and he has won 6 of his 7 UK starts on heavy. It will be fascinating to see how he copes with this step up in class.
Roksana represents the Skeltons and she has been a wonderful servant. She looked better than ever last time when hacking up in a soft ground G2 at Wetherby. The former Cheltenham Festival winner has yet to win a Grade 1 against the boys though. She also underperformed on her sole previous start at this track. She is a former heavy ground winner though and it wouldn’t be surprising if she runs a big race in receipt of weight from her rivals.
Can Jam Be The Man?
I think the most intriguing outsider in this field is The Jam Man for the McNallys and Denis O’Regan. This Irish raider was 6th behind Main Fact at Haydock last time, beat over 12L. On that effort he can’t beat the Pipe horse but on this ground he might get closer. He is 3lb better off with Main Fact in this race and although it was a chase, his 18L Troytown Chase on heavy ground was a superb effort. If any of the top 4 in the betting fail to fire, this horse could easily challenge for a place.
If the ground wasn’t as testing then I think this race would be a straight match between Thyme Hill and Paisley Park. However, neither of those horses want it too heavy and I am going to take a chance on The Jam Man at huge odds instead. He’ll handle the ground, his stamina is assured and he should be staying on at the finish. At odds of 33/1 he is worth backing e/w for small stakes.
Ascot and Haydock Saturday Tips: The Jam Man e/w @ 33/1
Haydock 2.40pm – Tommy Whittle Handicap Chase (Class 2)
The 25.5f trip will take some getting in this handicap chase and 10 will take their chances. The one to be on could be Sam’s Adventure for Ellison and Hughes. This 8yo son of Black Sam Bellamy ran better over C&D last time than the distance he was beat suggests. He was in rear as they approached the 12th fence but he was still well in touch when he was badly hampered by a faller. That cost him any realistic chance but he at least stuck to the task and finished the race.
If he wasn’t hampered there is no telling where he might have finished. It is impossible to say he would have won but I think he would have finished a lot closer than he did. Brian Hughes is back on board and he won on this horse on his only previous spin on him. Sam’s Adventure’s last win came on heavy off 129 (24f) at Uttoxeter and he is just 4lb higher today. He loves this sort of ground as his career figures on it show: 12131271P. With 4 places on offer, he is the e/w NAP of the day at odds of 18/1.
Ascot and Haydock Saturday Tips: Sam’s Adventure e/w @ 18/1 NAP (4 Places)
Ascot 3.00pm – Silver Cup Handicap Chase (Listed)
A field of 11 staying chasers will fight it out for the £35k first prize in this Listed Handicap Chase. The one I like at a working man’s price is Enfant Roi for the Leeches and Sean Houlihan. Sophie Leech has focused her attention on France this season and it has paid dividends. This horse beat one of her stalwarts, Henryville, by 18L on heavy ground in a claiming chase at Auteuil on his penultimate start and Henryville’s owner got the chequebook out soon after. He was conceding 7lb to the 120 rated runner up so Enfant Roi could be well handicapped off a mark of 132 on his UK debut.
Last time out he was beat 8L by what looks a very promising prospect in Suroit. He kept on well to the line in that 22f contest on heavy and an extra 2 furlongs could bring about more improvement. Heavy ground is perfect for this horse and thanks to Sean Houlihan’s 3lb claim he will carry less than 10 stone. His dam is a half sister to a 28f winner so his pedigree suggests this step up in distance will suit. At odds of 18/1, Enfant Roi is the each way selection.
Ascot and Haydock Saturday Tips: Enfant Roi e/w @ 18/1 (4 places)
Haydock 3.15pm – Handicap Hurdle (Class 3)
A trappy 24.5f handicap hurdle caps off the live ITV4 action from Haydock on Saturday. Staying power will be the key to victory on the heavy ground and although he carries the burden of top weight, I think Clyne is finally back down to a workable handicap mark. This fella is in off 137 today, 5lb lower than for his seasonal return at Aintree. He was well beat behind Main Fact off 140 last time over C&D but that was a far stronger race than today’s. He hasn’t won a race since scoring over 20f at Uttoxeter off 146 back in 2018. Evan Williams’ 10yo son of Hernando has won 6 races in total, and 2 of those came at Haydock.
He has yet to score at 3 miles. However, he ran one of the best races of his career at the distance behind Unowhatimeanharry in a Grade 2 at Newbury in 2018. Clyne loves it when the mud is flying and he gets his optimal conditions today. Adam Wedge replaces the 5lb claimer that rode last time and he was on board for his last 3 victories. This horse usually takes a couple of runs to reach peak fitness so he should be ready to rock today. This will be his first start in class 3 company since Nov 2016 (won by 7L) and at odds of 12/1 hopefully he bounces back to form.
Ascot and Haydock Saturday Tips: Clyne e/w @ 12/1
Ascot 3.35pm – Handicap Hurdle (Grade 3)
A 15.5f handicap hurdle closes the show at Ascot on Saturday. A field of 17 will go to post and it looks an absolute minefield. I think it could be worth taking a chance on Irish raider Belfast Banter at decent odds. Trained by Peter Fahey, this fella makes a belated handicap debut off a mark of 129. The 5yo has been campaigned exclusively in maiden and novice company over hurdles and he has one win to his name. That came two starts back in October at Galway (16.5f sft) when he beat Gevrey by 0.5L.
That was a decent effort but he has a couple of placed runs that arguably represent better form. His run at Listowel when 3rd in a maiden (beat 3L) by You Raised Me Up and Run For Oscar was a fine effort. Run For Oscar went on to beat Make Good in a maiden next time. You Raised Me Up went very close in a valuable handicap at Leopardstown previously off 125. That is the run that suggests Belfast Banter is potentially well handicapped and the son of Jeremy has zero worries regarding ground. Peter Fahey is 7/30 (9 places) with his UK raiders and hopefully this fella can make it 8/31. At odds of 16/1, Belfast Banter is well worth chancing e/w.
