Haydock Saturday Preview - 22/01/22

The first race at Haydock on Saturday is the Grade Two Novices' Chase over 2m4f and Shakem Up'Arry for the Ben Pauling Team looks a big player.

The eight year old was a smart hurdler last term, finishing second in the Grade One Tolworth Hurdle to Metier back in January but he was always bought to be a chaser.

The Harry Redknapp owned gelding was sent chasing this term and although not making the best start when unseating his rider, he showed his true potential last time out when bolting up over two miles at Haydock on soft ground.

Stepping up in trip today will look to suit and having form at this track in tricky conditions could mean everything.

One of the feature races of the afternoon is the Grade Two Supreme Novices' Hurdle Trial event over two miles and the superstar Jonbon will be looking to make it 3/3 over hurdles.

A £570,000 purchase and full brother to the top class hurdler Douvan, Jonbon was an easy 15 length winner of his Irish PTP and subsequently went on to cosily land his sole bumper start on his first run for Nicky Henderson.

He then marked his debut over obstacles at Newbury, on the back of a 244 day break, with a cracking performance, winning by an eased down six length margin in November this year.

He stepped up in grade last time out at Ascot in the Grade Two Kennel Gate Novices' Hurdle and it proved little issue to this son of Walk In The Park, winning once more, eased down at the finish, and completing his four timer to remain unbeaten under all codes.

The gelding looks a horse for the ages and should not be beat on Saturday.

Another nice event on the Haydock card is the Grade Two New One Unibet Hurdle over two miles and Tommy's Oscar will be very tough to beat.

Tommy’s Oscar takes the step up into Graded company for the first time in his career, but he does look to deserve to take the chance at these higher levels, due to currently on a three-race winning streak, winning all three races by a combined 17 lengths.

His last run at Musselburgh on new years day is his most impressive victory to date, beating a horse trained by champion trainer Paul Nicholls who was quite well fancied that day and is a Graded winner himself, with some decent form in behind.

The Ann Hamilton trained gelding travelled strongly throughout the race, relishing the quick pace over the 2-mile trip, and was going easily at the 3rd last before surging clear up the home straight to stay on and win by 6 lengths.

He has improved with each run and looks more like a graded horse in the making each time we see him on a racecourse.

Three wins in a row, with his career best performance last time out, this 7yo looks to improve with each run and with Champion Hurdle aspirations from connections shows how much of a talent he is, will be hard to stop in this given his current run of form.

The big race of the day is the Grade Two Peter Marsh Handicap Chase over 3m2f with Royal Pagaille looking to land back to back renewals of the race.

One of the most improving chasers of last season for Venetia Williams, who won three races on the spin before tackling the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March at the festival where he finished a fair sixth.

As previously mentioned, he was a big improver before that, winning three in a row this event last year over course and distance in January, absolutely demolishing the field by 16 lengths after a top jumping display, looking like a real Grade One horse in the making bursting onto the scene.

The course form is a big plus, as he also won a Class 2 chase at Haydock in December 2020 and having course form around here, especially in tricky conditions means a lot.

He is running off top weight giving bundles of weight away but he looks the class act in the field and should be tough to pass.

A tricky event for punters on the card at Haydock is the three mile Class 3 Handicap Hurdle but we think the value lies with the Charlie Longsdon trained Moon King.]

The six year old gelding looks to have a big chance in this event having been largely consistent for the last year or so and now looks to be on a mark he can pounce.

Last term he landed back to back races when taking a 2m4f handicap event at Musselburgh and then went to Newcastle and took a good jumpers bumper.

Not seen again since October this season on seasonal debut he was a neck second over three miles at Chepstow, being 15 lengths clear of the second.

Up 5lb to a mark of 120, he headed to Doncaster and was third of seven runners, but bounced back over the same course and distance last time out when a better second.

Dropping down to a mark of 118 he looks more feasibly treated in this field and with the yard and jockey in flying form he looks a nice bet.

The horse of some interest in the Handicap Chase over two miles is the Samuel Drinkwater trained Gallic Geordie who has a quick turn around for this run but still looks to be better than his mark of 108.

The nine year old has been in electric form this term landing a hat-trick of wins at Lingfield twice then Newbury, going from a mark of 81 to 99.

Bumped up another 9lb for his race at Newcastle on Tuesday to a mark of 108 he travelled beautifully in the race and just got beat in a three way photo-finish at the line.

He still looked to have wiggle room in his mark and getting weight off the field in this event makes him one to be on.

It looks a great bit of placing by his trainer if fully sound after bis recent run.

The final event of the afternoon is the Plank Lane Handicap Hurdle over two miles and the Donald McCain trained Sacre Pierre looks dangerous at the bottom of the weights.

Seen five times in his career to date the four year old made his hurdles/rules debut in July when winning over two miles and then backed that up next time out at Cartmel.

Since then he has been seen in better company and found things tougher, finishing third in a Listed Juvenile Hurdle behind the progressive Porticello and then went into the Summit Juvenile Hurdle at Doncaster and could only finish fifth.

Last time out he was very unfortunate in his first handicap event, falling at the last when closing on the leader and if none the worse for that should get back on track with a good run.