Haydock & Ascot selections Saturday 10th May
We have the best of both worlds today at Haydock with the one true remaining mixed fixture in the British racing calendar. The big betting races are over the hurdles and come up early in the afternoon and I have concentrated on those two races at the Merseyside track. At Ascot the Victoria Cup is a highlight and I have two for the big race plus a best bet elsewhere on the card. The Chester Cup went really well for us yesterday with nap selection East India Dock winning (advised 100/30) and each-way bet Zoffee third (14/1) whilst Rathgar was also placed for our other each-way bet (advised 7/1).
Haydock 1.00: Harbour Lake & My Bobby Dazzler
The two horses that top and tail this handicap are fancied here, both hoping to improve on their second and third places in this same contest last season.
HARBOUR LAKE was third in this race, proving his stamina for 3m in the process, as well as showing an aptitude for good going. That was proved again when he came out and won at Aintree first time out on similar fast ground in the autumn.
Having burst a blood vessel in the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham, he bounced back well back at the same track when chasing home Long Draw there last month, again appreciating the drying ground. I suspect Harbour Lake is a better horse on a flat track and can reverse places with the winner that day, who might find the regular flat spot he hits mid race leaving him too much to do on this sharp track.
MY BOBBY DAZZLER went even closer last year when just collared close home by Zain Nights having made most of the running. He is another horse who I believe gets into a better rhythm on a sharp track – he is three times a winner at Aintree for example.
It had been a struggle for him this season. Whilst he was second at Warwick in March, he was beaten 29l by the winner. However he had a small wind op after that run and appeared to improve for it when fourth behind Harbour Lake at Cheltenham. He did not really come up the hill at that track, but back on a flatter circuit, he looks on a very fair rating, 4lbs below that of last season’s run here.
Haydock 1.35: Helnwein & Dance and Glance
Alan King holds strong claims with Harbour Lake in the first and has an even better shout with HELNWEIN in the featured Swinton.
This horse ran his best race on the final day of the 2023/4 season when winning the novice handicap at Sandown on similar drying ground in a strongly run 2m contest like this race will surely be. He looked to have a bright future after that, but things have not panned out as expected this season.
He went chasing, but did not improve for the bigger obstacles. However of more importance may be recent wind surgery which has apparently brought about some improvement recently. He was a fair seventh on a 2m4f handicap hurdle at Aintree (stamina possibly an issue) and I am not sure a messy tactical race in a small field suited him at Chepstow last time. A strong gallop in a big field looks likely an I can see this race suiting perfectly.
The tactics were completely changed for DANCE AND GLANCE on his handicap debut at Bangor last time. Having raced prominently throughout his races in novice races, where he won small contests at Taunton and Southwell, he was held right out the back at Bangor.
He actually adapted really well to being held up, the problem being that he endured a luckless passage in behind horses, flying home when it was too late to catch Bareback Jack. Harry Cobden, who has proved a master at hold up tactics in recent weeks, takes over today and the combination of a stronger pace and longer finishing straight should see those tactics to better effect today.
Ascot 2.40: Ten Pounds & Gleneagle Bay
This looks a very strong renewal of the Victoria Cup and I have had difficulty reducing this to two against the field.
Pace held up well yesterday and with a tailwind expected again today, the prominent racing TEN POUNDS can again prove hard to catch. He started his season with a brave win at Newmarket, battling back well having been head in the dip. Trainer Harry Charlton made no secret of the fact that the horse should improve considerably for the run, and as a big horse there should indeed be more to come.
Fully proven on fast ground, he does look a 7f specialist and good placing by his trainer means he still remains feasibly handicapped only 3lbs higher than for that Newmarket win.
GLENEAGLE BAY has done really well since being purchased by Shamrock Racing without ever quite winning for them. This race looks ideal in that he can be held up for a late run and with his strong cruising speed he should be able to be eased into the contest by Hollie Doyle.
He travelled smoothly for a long way in the Irish Lincolnshire, but was probably in front too soon, whilst the soft ground might have counted against him too. He might also be best in a strongly run 7f, something we saw on Champions Weekend at Leopardstown where he stormed to the front 1f out only to be collared on the line. Again a little more patience can pay dividends here.
Ascot 3.15: Fireblade
A full brother to the top class Cracksman, FIREBLADE was disappointing for the same connections, failing to win a race in six starts between September and January, having taken some time to even make the track.
However a switch to the smaller yard of Dylan Cunha seems to have paid handsome dividends already as the gelding got off the mark at the first time of asking, showing a lot more determination than had previously been the case to win at Leicester.
That was his first time on fast ground turf, which might also been of benefit and he gets similar conditions today. There is an obvious rival in Turquino, the winner of two small novice contests on the AW in March. However this will be the favourite’s first foray into handicaps, and the greater experience of Fireblade, and at bigger odds gets the verdict.
Recommended bets:
0.5pts each-way – Harbour Lake – 1.00 Haydock – 9/1 general (most bookies 1/5 odds 1st 4)
1pt each-way – My Bobby Dazzler – 1.00 Haydock – 16/1 Bet365 (1/5 odds 1st 4)
1pt each-way – Helnwein – 1.35 Haydock – 13/2 Paddy Power & William Hill (1/5 odds 1st 5)
1pt each-way – Dance and Glance – 1.35 Haydock – 7/1 William Hill, Ladbrokes & coral (1/5 odds 1st 5)
1pt each-way – Ten Pounds – 2.40 Ascot – 8/1 William Hill (1/5 odds 1st 5)
1pt each-way – Gleneagle Bay – 2.40 Ascot – 13/2 Skybet (1/5 odds 1st 6)
1pt each-way – Fireblade – 3.15 Ascot – 4/1 general
