Haydock has an eight-race card this Saturday and, away from the Grand National Trial, there are a number of trappy races for punters.
It’s easy to make a case for many horses scoring at this meeting, so having strong views is important before betting.
The Grade 2 Rendlesham Hurdle over an extended 3m (13:55) looks a poor renewal, but Yanworth makes a belated return to action in it for Alan King and JP McManus.
This nine-year-old finished just 6 3/4 lengths behind Penhill in the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last time out.
Yanworth is eight from 11 over hurdles and landed the 2017 running of the Liverpool Stayers at the Aintree Grand National meeting. His mark of 161 in this sphere puts him 7lb and upwards clear of the field on official figures.
Despite a 338-day layoff, Yanworth holds leading claims on ratings and BetVictor are 11/8 about him making a winning return to action.
Clyne is reckoned his closest challenger in the market after chasing home Unowhatimeanharry in the similar grade Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury.
Evan Williams’ charge has been a little disappointing this season after then finishing fifth in the Relkeel at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.
Clyne has won two of his six races here at Haydock though, and finished second on a couple of other occasions. Odds of 100/30 say the nine-year-old can resume winning ways at a venue where he’s put in some of his best performances.
Shades Of Midnight in with a shout
New Nicky Richards recruit Kilcooley tries to belie an absence of more than 1000 days in this after landing the West Yorkshire Hurdle of 2015 at Wetherby.
He was then pulled up in the old World Hurdle landed by Thistlecrack and not seen since. It looks a huge ask even for mercurial handler Richards to work his magic here.
The rest of the seven-runner field are all double figure prices, so Kilcooley is certainly not a lost cause.
Shades Of Midnight has improved with each outing this season for Scottish trainer Sandy Thomson and brings eye-catching course hurdles form to the table.
He was just headed by Paisley Park close home in a Grade 3 handicap at this venue back in November. The nine-year-old has since followed-up over fences scoring by 10 lengths, while the winner has since landed Grade 1 and Grade 2 races in the JLT Long Walk and Cleeve Hurdle.
That is strong form and Shades Of Midnight thus looks a value each-way bet at 10/1 with Paddy Power. Donna’s Diamond finished lame behind the Thomson runner over fences last time out and must give weight all-round.
It’s hard to fancy him or fellow 10-year-old Man Of Plenty as a result. Even Petticoat Tails at foot of the weights saw her stamina stretched by the trip last time out.
Ask Ben a potential Prestige punt
Also putting their staying credentials to the test are novices in the Grade 2 Prestige (16:10). Ask Ben is a very likeable horse for Graeme McPherson and the assessor may have underestimated him in allotting this six-year-old a mark of 132.
After engaging in a ding-dong tussle with Beakstown to the line and prevailing by a head over 2m 6f at Newcastle on Fighting Fifth day, he followed-up in impressive fashion at Ayr.
Ask Ben made all and bolted up by 19 lengths when stepped up to 3m. Beakstown came out and won another Albert Bartlett trial, the Grade 2 Leamington Novices’ Hurdle at Warwick, to also advertise that Newcastle form.
That makes Ask Ben look real value to take the step up in class and land the hat-trick here at 8/1 with betway.
Rockpoint took the Bristol Novices’ Hurdle, but could only finish fourth at Warwick under a penalty last time out.
This Colin Tizzard trained inmate meets those who re-oppose on the same terms, so jockey Tom Scudamore rides Kateson for Tom Lacey instead.
That grey gelding is the top rated on a mark of 141 and thus the one to beat on figures, but was blown away by Champ in the Grade 1 Challow at Newbury last time out.
Kateson also has an awkward head carriage at times, but was only beaten 3 1/4 lengths and may relish a stamina test as the 7/4 favourite with 888sport.
More to come from Stoney Mountain
Henry Daly runner Stoney Mountain has been very consistent in four hurdles starts. This Trevor Hemmings owned six-year-old was runner-up to Beakstown in the Leamington and meets Rockpoint on the same terms, so should confirm the form.
Stoney Mountain also bested Aye Aye Charlie by a neck at Aintree over 2m 4f earlier in the season, was then denied a head by Doux Pretender at Ascot and then resumed winning ways at Southwell.
There looks to be even more to come from him, so he’s another worth considering at 9/2 with Coral.
Lisnagar Oscar is 5lb better off with Rockpoint for going down 2 3/4 lengths at Cheltenham and has won since, so is another with claims for Rebecca Curtis.
Truckin Away represents Brocade Racing and Philip Hobbs, meanwhile, and could reverse form with that runner off 7lb better terms.
Star Of Lanka ran a huge race when fourth in the Lanzarote Hurdle on handicap debut for Warren Greatrex.
As he was giving the winner 10lb and beaten nine lengths, it was a very solid effort and he must be respected now switching back to novice company.
This is because the third horse home, Lord Napier, has since come out and made a winning step up in trip when landing the Grade 3 Heroes Handicap Hurdle at Sandown. Star Of Lanka could do likewise here and looks big each-way value at 20/1 with Betfair.
Admiral Barratry looks very exposed and is only one from eight over hurdles. Geordie B, meanwhile, is worse off at the weights with Star Of Lanka, so has it all to do to confirm a short-head defeat over a sharper trip. Highland Hunter also has plenty to find.
Quel Destin form far stronger than Torpillo
The Victor Ludorum Juvenile Hurdle that gets proceedings underway (12:50) is an effective match between Quel Destin and Torpillo despite two others going to post.
With all due to respect to the other pair, they are miles behind on ratings and barring accidents are in a race of their own for third.
Quel Destin has a progressive profile for Paul Nicholls after landing back-to-back Grade 2 contests en route to the Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow.
That is the strongest form on offer in the UK and, while it remains to be seen how he compares to the Irish four-year-olds, he sets a clear standard in Britain.
Torpillo is unbeaten since joining Nigel Twiston-Davies and has run out a wide-margin winner of two minor events at Sandown.
You can question what this Simon Munir and Isaac Souede owned French import has beaten in the process, but he’s certainly been visually very taking.
He is not going to get things his own way at all here though, and Quel Destin showed guts to battle with another regarded juvenile sort belonging to the owners in Adjali at Chepstow.
Off level weights and with just 1lb between their official ratings, it’s the Nicholls runner who is the safer betting option at 10/11 with Paddy Power for all the potential Torpillo has.
Making up the field are Capone and Fanzio. Both have upwards of two stone to find on figures with Quel Destin and Torpillo, so in the race for third Charlie Mann’s runner looks the pick for the tricast.
Laskadine looks good to land Listed prize
And finally, the Warwick Mares’ Hurdle (13:25) has been rearranged and added to this card. Just five go and perennial runner-up Jester Jet must give weight all-round which looks a big ask as she hasn’t got her head in front in six starts since last April.
Trained by Lacey, the nine-year-old is the oldest in the line-up but looks vulnerable to younger horses with more improvement in them.
Jester Jet does bring strong form to the table, but simply doesn’t win enough races to be considered value at 3/1 best.
At the opposite end of the spectrum is the McManus owned, Nicky Henderson trained juvenile filly Laskadine. In receipt of 10lb from most and a whole stone from Jester Jet, this French import won a Listed contest as a three-year-old before coming over to the UK.
Laskadine did just enough to win her British bow against the geldings at Warwick and is now back against her own sex. She could be anything, so in a race where others have points to prove, she has plenty going for her at 9/4 with Betfred.
Sensulano was beaten out of sight by one of Ireland’s leading Champion Hurdle fancies Laurina at Sandown last time out. Noel Williams’ mare had progressed in winning a couple of handicaps beforehand and could shape better here.
Ruth Jefferson sends out five-year-old Mega Yates, who is another with a progressive profile after scoring on her hurdles bow last time out and running well in bumpers.
If You Say Run, meanwhile, is the top rated in the field, but this drop back in trip may be on the sharp side for her.
