Who To Follow At Haydock On Saturday - 19/02/22

James Mackie | @JMackieRacing

Thu 17 Feb 2022 17.09

Haydock 14:05

Molly Ollys Wishes

J: Harry Skelton

T: Dan Skelton

N/A

Age: 8

Weight: 11-3

OR: 145

Days: 28

The first big race of the day at Haydock is the Grade Two Rendlesham Hurdle over three miles and the value in the race seems to lie with the Dan Skelton trained Molly Ollys Wishes.

The mare was electric at Wetherby on her first start of the season, winning the Listed Mares Hurdle by just over five lengths with some horses in behind who have franked the form since, none-more so than Zambella who has won two listed contests since this race at Wetherby.

She is a very game mare who thrives at all types of trips, but her run at Ascot next time out was too bad to be true finishing last of five runners in the Grade Two Coral Hurdle.

Quickly putting that behind her last time out she stepped up to three miles at Ascot for just the second time in her career and made it back to back wins at the trip, seeing off some smart mares in the Grade Two Mares Hurdle.

That looks some of the best form on offer and handling soft/heavy ground makes her a player.

Form: View

Date	Course	Distance	Type	Weight	Position
14/04/23	AIN	20	GS	11-5	13
17/03/23	CHL	20.5	Sft	11-7	11
11/02/23	WAR	21	Gd	11-8	2
28/01/23	CHL	24	Sft	11-1	5
21/11/22	KEM	24.5	Sft	11-6	3

Dan Skelton a small but select team to Haydock on Saturday and with that in mind might be the man to follow across the day.

Starting in the Grade Two Rendlesham Hurdle over three miles he fields Molly Ollys Wishes who was a game winner over the trip last time out and will handle the testing ground.

In the Grand National Trial they Skelton's have the 13 year old Blaklion that even at his grand old age is still thriving and goes into the event seeking a hat-trick.

The final horse to mention from the yard is the Cheltenham festival winner Ch'tibello who steps up to three miles for the first time in his career.

Skelton heads into the meeting with a 19% strike rate for the last two weeks, managing nine winners from 36 runners.

Aidan Coleman chooses Haydock over Ascot this weekend and has a great book of rides to do so, which should see him in and out the winners enclosure.

In the Rendlesham Hurdle he sits on the favourite Thomas Darby who has to give weight away to the field but could be good enough to do so.

In the Grand National Trial he has a live chance with Sam Brown who will handle the ground and has form over this distance.

He also rides the favourite in the Pertemps qualifier Tamar Bridge for Olly Murphy, with the seven year old looking to get back to winning ways.

Finally, in the Grade Two Albert Bartlett he has a big chance with the second favourite Green Book who is hot off the back of a big handicap win at Sandown.

Coleman heads into the meeting in electric form, managing to land four winners from his last 15 rides which sees him sporting a 27% strike rate for the last two weeks.

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