The highlight of Haydock’s three-day meeting is Saturday’s Group 3 Pinnacle Stakes and the 11/4 antepost favourite at BetVictor is Roger Varian’s Ajman Princess who is unbeaten in two starts so far this term including in listed company at Goodwood last month.
No Pattern races on the card this afternoon but a good Novice Stakes and Big Time Maybe (2.40) can make it third time lucky for Tom Dascombe having shaped with considerable promise when runner up at Bath on debut. I am willing to put a line through his run at Chester last time when he failed to overcome a poor draw in the Lily Ages.
Mark Johnston’s Seyaady was beaten by a nose on debut at Carlisle and is likely to come on for the experience but Big Time Maybe is considered a decent two-year-old at home and can be a local winner.
In the Fillies’ maiden Ertiyad (3.10) looked a sure-fire future winner when second at Ascot on debut and she is taken to go one better for William Haggas whose string remain in top form. Do note the third and fifth horses home at Ascot have already broke their maiden tag and the form looks strong.
They go over the jumps at Bangor-On-Dee this afternoon and I am going to give Princess Roania (4.20) another chance after a poor run at Aintree last time when she never seemed happy and constantly swished her tail. I am convinced she is better than that and certainly do not expect a repeat of her Aintree tactics when she, surprisingly, tried to make all. The handicapper has dropped the selection 3lbs and I do remember that none of the Peter Bowen horses performed as well as they can at Aintree last month.
The grey Iora Glas (3.50) is rated 11lbs lower over fences than hurdles but has plenty of chasing experience and jumped fluently at Chepstow when second over the larger obstacles back in October. The selection has been in good form over timber of late and Paddy Brennan knows the eight-year-old well.
A competitive card from Sandown Park this evening and the 10f handicap for the classic generation looks a cracker. The form of Hold Sway’s (7.35) Newmarket maiden success was given a boost when the runner up Zenon run out a convincing winner at Chepstow earlier in the week and the Godolphin runner can follow up. James Doyle takes over on the Godolphin runner and a 3lbs rise for his win at HQ looks fair.
Her Majesty’s Frontispiece makes a belated seasonal reappearance having won his sole juvenile start at Ascot back in September. Ryan Moore is in the plate as he was at the Berkshire track last year and the market should provide valuable clues as to his well-being.
Stuart Kittow has declared Hawridge Flyer for the 10f maiden and I am convinced he is better than he showed at Chepstow earlier in the week when the combination of 12f and soft ground took its toll. The vote, however, goes to Mafaaheem (8.05) who shaped with considerable promise on his reappearance at Newmarket back in April when pulling hard but finishing a good third. If more amenable to restraint for Jim Crowley this evening, I would be disappointed if the Owen Burrows-trained colt did not go very close.
Titi Makfi (8.40) looked well ahead of the handicapper when making a winning seasonal debut at Hamilton earlier in the month. The selection has a 6lbs penalty to carry but looks a typical Johnston improver and she is likely to get further later in the campaign.
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