Haydock Saturday Preview - 08/06/23

The first selection of the afternoon from Haydock comes in the Listed Achilles Stakes over 5f and the horse that takes the eye is the Keith Dalgleish trained Prince Of Pillo.

A horse who started his career last term at Ayr over 6f when scoring well on good ground and then dropped to 5f at Ripon in a Conditions Stakes he made it 2/2 against better company.

Sent to Doncaster on soft ground he finished a credible fourth of eight runners in the competitive Group Two Flying Childers Stakes behind the talented Trillium, The Platinum Queen and Crispy Cat.

Seen twice more before the end of the season he got back to winning ways at Ayr when bolting up in the Listed Harry Roseberry Stakes and then finished the term at Newmarket when third in the Group Three Cornwallis Stakes.

He makes his seasonal debut in this event and if improving for being a year older he has the youth on his side against others at the top of the market which sees him also getting 4lbs.

We are giving another chance to the superstar sprinter for John Quinn Mr Wagyu who loves winning in June and having ran well last time out can go well again.

You have to disregard anything this horse does before or after June or July as he comes into his own during these two months accumulating the majority of his wins in these months.

A 15 time winner for this yard and all of those have come in June or July and he also has six wins from 11 runs when being sent out within seven days of his last run.

The start of his campaign always sees him drop down the handicap and in the latter stages of the season he is too high in the handicap to be competitive.

The same has happened this term running three times in competitive 5f and 6f handicaps at Newmarket, Ripon and York without really threatening seeing his mark drop from 101 to 96.

That saw him well in by 4lbs from his last winning mark and he ran a cracker at Epsom in a race he won the year before to finish a narrow third behind two smart rivals being the only horse that went from the front and carried on to the line

Off the same mark he should go close again and he loves it at Haydock being 2/3 at the track, with his only loss at the track coming on heavy ground.

It could be a good day at Haydock for Keith Dalgleish who has another big chance in the Class 2 Handicap over 1m4f with Good Show looking progressive.

Starting this term off in the Queen's Cup at Musselburgh over 1m6f when either not staying the trip or needing the run, finishing 10th of 14, but the form of the race has worked out with the top two since running credibly in better races.

Dropped back to 1m5f he ran a better race at Hamilton to finish a close third behind Postileo who looked well handicapped.

Last seen this term getting back to winning ways over 1m4f at Hamilton in a Class 3 Handicap off a mark of 89, he runs today off 3lb higher and staying at this trip which looks his optimum makes him interesting.

The first big race of the afternoon from the Merseyside track sees the Group Three Lester Piggott Stakes and we are going for potential over class shown with Modaara.

Making her debut over 1m2f at Yarmouth last term when a solid fourth learning a lot for the experience she was then seen once more as a three year old, getting off the mark at Chelmsford in good fashion.

She then put up an emphatic performance at Kempton when stepped up to 1m4f on seasonal debut, bolting up by 13 lengths in a Fillies' Novice Stakes under a big penalty.

Visually she looked seriously impressive that day and although she now needs to prove it in group company she could turn out to be very exciting.

Time Lock could be the one to beat having ran well on debut and will definitely improve for that, but we are taking a chance on Modaara being the horse in the field that we don't know just how good she can be.

The feature event of the afternoon at Haydock is the Group Three John Of Gaunt Stakes over 7f and the horse that takes the eye is the Karl Burke trained El Caballo.

A very progressive horse earlier on in his career picking up six wins in his career, starting as a two year old when winning on his second start as a juvenile over 5f and then on his final start as a two year old he stepped up to 6f and beat the talented Navello.

Starting his three year old campaign off at Newcastle when easily winning a Conditions Stakes, he then went up to 7f at Lingfield in a Listed All-Weather Fast Track Qualifier and he took to the trip well to score by a length.

Dropped back to 6f for the All Weather 3 Year Old Championships, he made it five on the bounce to collar Tiber Flow late on for William Haggas.

Sent to Haydock over 6f in the Group Two Sandy Lane Stakes he showed his clear progression to make it six wins in a row, seeing off a late challenge from Flaming Rib.

Since then he has been seen on two occasions blowing out in both events, running no race in the Group One Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot and on his seasonal debut this term he was last of 10 in the Listed Cammidge Trophy with the heavy ground going against him.

Getting back to a track he has won at before and now getting his preferred quicker ground, he has all the ingredients to bounce back.

The penultimate event on the card is the Class 4 Handicap over 7f and on handicap debut Royal Charter for William Haggas looks interesting.

Seen just twice as a juvenile last term she made an impressive debut at Newmarket over 6f when going on to win from Love Affairs for Clive Cox.

It is surprising to see a William Haggas horse win on debut with them normally needing the run so it was a good sign for the future of this horses career.

Seen just once more last term she was stepped up in class to the Group Three Margaret Keeneland Stakes over 6f and it may have come too soon for her with he back in seventh with the event won by Group One winner Lezoo.

Now handicapping off a mark of 84 this should be more her sphere and having gone well fresh before it might be the time to catch her.

The final event on the card is the Class 4 Handicap over a mile and Just Bring It for trainer Clive Cox could be underestimated in the field.

A winner at Kempton on seasonal debut this term over a mile beating Choisya who he takes on again here, he then went to Nottingham on soft ground and did not handle the conditions.

Returning to good ground at Newmarket in May he got back to form when finishing a length second to a nice type for Hugo Palmer.

Last seen at Haydock over a mile he was a fair fourth in the valuable Silver Bowl Handicap behind runaway winner Covey.

Dropping back into a Class 4 event off the same mark makes him interesting.