Hi all,
A tricky Haydock card which made worse by the uncertainty about the weather. Heavy thunderstorms are being forecast for the North West and if they do arrive the good to firm going could ease significantly during racing.
Haydock
1:25 – Turkestan still looked green and didn’t really seem to handle Ripon’s undulations when 3rd of 12 at the Yorkshire venue 52-days ago. Should be suited by this more conventional track and the step up to 1m 2f should suit for his handicap debut. Looks the sort to improve with racing.
0.5pts each way – Turkestan – 13/2 @ Bet365 (paying 4 places ¼ odds)
2:25 – Buniann has won twice on the all-weather but showed he can be just as effective on grass when a 1 length, 4th of 10 at Beverley 18-days ago. The 4-year-old didn’t get the best of passages two out. had to make his effort out wide that day and in the circumstances can be rated an unlucky horse. Can race off the same mark as his last win on the all-weather and has each way claims.
Last year’s winner Somewhere Secret would be a big player off 3lb lower, if the thunderstorms arrive in time. He’s back down to a winnable mark once he gets soft/heavy ground and maybe worth a saver should the going ease.
0.5pts each way – Buniann – 8/1 @ Bet365
5:30 – Should the thunderstorms arrive and turn the ground soft Hawridge Flyer would look potentially overpriced here. He’s returned from 588-day absence with a couple of down the field efforts at Kempton and is 2lb lower than for his last win on turf (soft) at Newmarket in November 2018. Drawn out in the car park in stall 16 but the key to the 6-year-old’s chance is the ground.
0.5pts each way – Hawridge Flyer – 28/1 @ William Hill (paying 5 places)
Good luck with your bets
John