Haydock Saturday Preview - 20/04/2019

There is a £30,000 prize up for grabs in the curtain raiser and we are siding with top weight DUHALLOW GESTURE, who has the acquaintances of top 5lb claimer Rex Dingle.

The yard obviously think plenty of this mare, she was thrown into a Grade2 event won by the tough Queenohearts in February and has been sent off favourite in three of her last four starts.

One negative is the fact that Anthony Honeyball has campaigned the 7-y-o daughter of King’s Theatre on softer conditions. She faces much quicker ground here, but does have winning good-ground form from her bumper days in Ireland.

Hat-trick seeking Hijran is a deserved market leader in the second race of the day but at a healthy 10/1 we like the chances of CAUSE TOUJOURS.

It is hard to get away from the form of his second in a listed event at this course in November, where he was sandwiched between two subsequent winners, one of whom went on to win at Grade2 level.

Handles conditions.

The Staying Chase Series Final has an open look to it with Sue Smith’s The Paddy Pie having every chance based on his course win back in February, but Jonjo O’Neil’s QUARENTA is an unexposed staying chaser who did it nicely last time out.

The fashion in which he cruised from last to first really caught the eye and we are expecting a similarly patient ride from STD.

Ian Williams has sent out a few winners this week and he has three at the foot of the weights here, with the pick of the bunch being Faithful Mount, who is greatly respected following back-to-back second places.

The 3lb rise in weights added to the omission of a 7lb claimer leaves him needing to find improvement however, and Tim Vaughan’s TRIXTER meets calmer waters having tried his hand in a Graded race last month.

He did too much too soon that day in testing conditions and will be better suited by this race.

Bangor winner The Bay Birch is a likely favourite here, but second that day DAPHINE EREINE is better off at the weights and in our opinion has the scope to improve past the mare.

She was in-front two out that day and will appreciate the drop in trip.

Uncharacteristically of a typical Venetia Williams type, Enola Gay has a liking for good ground and looked the business when landing the spoils at Wincanton last time out.

Gavin Sheehan has had a magnificent season and he again takes the ride.