Haydock and Sandown Saturday Preview and Tips

We had a fairly decent day at the Curragh last Sunday, even though we didn’t get a winner. Goodnight Girl looked like she was going to hose up but we had to settle for 2nd at 22/1. Arnhem somehow got up for 5th, landing e/w bets at 40s. Insinuendo just got a bit outpaced and he will do better next time upped in distance. Questionare was ridden too aggressively and that cost him a place in the end. We’ve been knocking on the door, hopefully it opens tomorrow. Check out our Haydock and Sandown Saturday tips for all live ITV races below.

1.50 Sandown – Coral Charge (Group 3)

The opening race on ITV is the G3 Coral Charge at Sandown. A field of 10 horses will line up in the stalls for this 5f sprint. Five of the last seven renewals have been won by 3yos. Only two horses of that age take part this year, Atalis Bay and Happy Romance. Atalis Bay won over C&D last time out on good to firm, his first victory at Listed level. His official rating of 103 leaves him with a fair bit to find, even with the weight for age allowance of 4lbs.

Happy Romance is also a 3yo and she is also rated 103. She gets an extra 3lbs allowance and I think this G3 and Listed winner could be a different horse now returned to 5f on half-decent ground. Richard Hannon’s daughter of Dandy Man was a real money spinner last season, winning huge pots in sales races at Newbury (5f gd) and York (6f gd/sft). She then landed a G3 at Salisbury (6f gd), beating subsequent Coronation Stakes winner, Alcohol Free, by 0.75L.

Return To 5f A Plus

She finished well behind that rival on her return this season in the Fred Darling at Newbury (7f gd). Happy Romance dropped back to 6f next time and landed a Listed heat at Chelmsford. Last time out the heavy ground was all wrong for her at Ascot in the Commonwealth Cup.

She won on her only previous visit to Sandown and while this season hasn’t gone to plan so far, I think it is too soon to write this filly off. Her last two runs at 5f saw her win the Super Sprint and finish 5th in the Queen Mary. Back at the minimum trip and down in class, Happy Romance is worth chancing e/w at 40/1.

Haydock and Sandown Saturday Tip: Happy Romance e/w @ 40/1

2.05 Haydock – Bet365 Handicap (Class 2)

A dozen stayers will fight it out for a total pot of £100k in this 14f handicap. There is a drop of rain forecast before racing so the ground, currently described as good, may well ease slightly. I doubt it will be a slog in the mud but there will probably be a little bit of cut in it. Alpine Stroll, a son of Nathaniel, has plenty of form on good to soft ground.Last time out at Salisbury, he shaped as though this step back up in distance would be sure to suit.

Alpine Stroll attempted to make all that day and it looked like he was going to finish well beaten when he was headed 3f out. However, he rallied really well and when the winner Pleasant Man breezed by him he knuckled down to the task and he was closing on that rival all the way to the line. There was only a neck between them at the finish. If the race was a furlong or two longer, I think Alpine Stroll would have won.

Three runs ago at Newbury (11f gd/sft) Ed De Giles’ charge finished 2nd behind Surrey Gold off 78. He had Oceanline 4L back in 4th and he is now 9lb better off with that rival when Elisha Whittingham’s claim is considered. The ground was too quick on his only previous run beyond 12f.Now, with conditions to suit, I think a big run could be on the cards this afternoon. It has been a while since Ed De Giles had a winner admittedly. However, he has had two seconds from his last four runners so his string isn’t completely out of form. With 4 places on offer, Alpine Stroll is worth backing e/w at odds of 16/1.

Haydock and Sandown Saturday Tip: Alpine Stroll e/w @ 16/1 (4 places)

2.25 Sandown – Coral Challenge Handicap (Class 2)

This is another open looking handicap with a first prize of nearly £40k. The one I like at a decent e/w price is Plantadream for John Best and Martin Dwyer. This son of Planteur is generally a pretty consistent sort. From 14 career starts he has three wins and 6 places and he ran a lovely race last time out off 90 at Epsom. He was a shade slowly away and the winner got first run but he finished off his race really strongly for 3rd, just missing out on 2nd.

Plantadream races off 90 again today, just 1lb higher than his last turf winning rating. That came over a mile on good ground at Doncaster but he has plenty of placed form on good to soft too. The booking of Martin Dwyer is another plus as his style should really suit this hold up horse. Dwyer has a decent record when riding for John Best too with 14 winners and 53 Top 4 finishes from just 153 rides. Any rain wouldn’t inconvenience this horse and at odds of 12/1, Plantadream looks a cracking each way bet.  

Haydock and Sandown Saturday Tip: Plantadream e/w @ 12/1 NB (5 places W Hill)

2.40 Haydock – Lancashire Oaks (Group 2)

We were on Tribal Craft when she won the Bronte Cup at York (14f sft) and I am a fan of hers. However, my main angle that day was the fact she was stepping up in trip to 14f from 12f. I am not sure dropping back down in distance will bring out the best in her. Makawee was 3.5L behind her at York and she then ran another decent enough race over the same C&D on faster ground when finishing 2.75L behind Roberto Escobar.

This filly last tackled 12f on her seasonal return at Goodwood (12f gd/fm). She was only a short head behind Alpinista and she meets that rival again on the exact same terms. All ground seems to come alike for this 6yo mare whereas Alpinista would probably prefer faster conditions. She has beaten Tribal Craft in the past on good to soft in a handicap at Goodwood (giving 7lbs). Tribal Craft is 8/1, Alpinista is 7/4 and Makawee is as big as 16/1. On her overall form, I think she is overpriced in comparison to those two horses. A small each-way interest is advised.

Haydock and Sandown Saturday Tip: Makawee e/w @ 16/1

3.00 Sandown – Coral Distaff (Listed)

Statement is the clear market leader for this 8f Listed heat for 3yo fillies. The daughter of Lawman has run well on her last two starts in G3 company. She also wasn’t disgraced behind Mother Earth in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket. She is the top rated in the race with a mark of 106 and the next best, Aunty Bridy (103) has lots of questions to answer after a dreadful effort on her seasonal return at Newbury. Her 2yo form is quality but she may not have trained on. The booking of Ryan Moore for Statement suggests that connections are expecting her to go very close.

The lowest rated filly in this field is Rosemary and Thyme. She was handed a 9lb hike for a good effort on her first try in pattern company at Carlisle (7f gd/fm) but she is still rated just 85. However, I believe she deserves more credit for that last outing because she was denied a clear run at a vital time and she should have finished at least a length or two closer to the first two home (both rated 101). She eventually came home in 4th, just 3L behind Thunder Beauty in 2nd.

Step Up In Trip To Suit

When this daughter of Camelot found daylight she stayed on nicely and I think this new trip could eke out a bit more improvement. Her Pivotal dam is a half to 8F G2 winner Berkshire and she is also related to the dams of another couple of Group 1 and 2 winners. Yes, she is far more exposed than some of her rivals but she showed she could be competitive at this type of level last time.

On the other hand, the likes of Senita, Lucid Dreamer, Glesga Gal and Ready To Venture have all run poorly on their previous starts in pattern company. Connections will be desperate to pick up some black type for this well bred filly. If Rob Hornby takes his time on her, she could stay on late to nick a place. With 4 places on offer, Rosemary And Thyme is worth backing e/w for small stakes at 66/1.

Haydock and Sandown Saturday Tip: Rosemary And Thyme e/w @ 66/1 (4 places W Hill)

3.15 Haydock – Old Newton Cup Handicap (Class 2)

The feature at Haydock on Saturday is the Old Newton Cup. A maximum field of 17 are due to go to post and a case can be made for plenty. My idea of a solid each-way bet in this 12f contest is Dark Jedi for Allan and Easterby. This 5yo son of Kodiac has found it hard to win since completing a two timer at Hamilton (9f sft) and Ripon (10f gd) on his second and third runs of 2020. He didn’t run a bad race subsequently that season (44222) and he wasn’t disgraced on his return this term when 5th at Windsor off 95.

The handicapper dropped him to 94 after that run. That means he is just 2lb higher than when beat 1.25L by Euchen Glen at this track over 14f. His conqueror was rated 101 and he has since won at Listed and G3 level and he is now rated 115. The trip probably just stretched Dark Jedi that day and I wouldn’t be surprised if connections have had this race in mind for him ever since. He won’t mind any rain, this looks his optimum trip and David Allan takes over in the plate. At odds of 20/1, Dark Jedi is the e/w NAP of the day.

Haydock and Sandown Saturday Tip: Dark Jedi e/w @20/1 NAP (5 places Coral)

3.35 Sandown – Coral Eclipse (Group 1)

A desperately disappointing field of just four will go to post in the G1 Coral Eclipse. The winner will take home £340k and whoever finishes last will collect £32k! On all known form that will most likely be El Drama. He has stacks to find at the figures and he looks to be punching well above his weight. The other 3yo in the race is French Derby winner St Mark’s Basilica. The son of Siyouni has shown all his best form on soft ground but he has placed Group 1 form on good ground so conditions aren’t a huge worry.

The bigger issue for him is the quality of his two older rivals. The globetrotter Mishriff has won two enormous pots in the Saudi Cup and Dubai Sheema Classic the last twice. Connections will be hoping he can reproduce that sort of form back on home soil. Addeybb is another horse that has been campaigned on foreign shores and he is having his first UK run since taking the scalp of Verry Elleegant in an Aussie G1 at Randwick (10f gd). I think Addeybb could be the one to be on but at just 3/1 he isn’t exactly overpriced. With just the four going to post I am going to sit this race out. No bet.  

 

Haydock and Sandown Saturday Tip: No Bet