Haydock Betting Tips - Saturday 20th February
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Haydock Betting Tips - Saturday 20th February

Haydock Park stages a quality card on Saturday afternoon with a trio of graded events headlined by their traditional Grand National Trial at 2.40pm. There's also the Grade 2 Rendlesham Hurdle and the Prestige Novices' Hurdle on the card at Merseyside venue and the Racing Post brings you their betting tips and selections for all the Haydock action (1.30pm-5.00pm, seven races).




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1.30 - williamhill.com Best Odds Guaranteed Novices' Limited Handicap Chase (2m4f)

Marown ran a very good race in a Grade 2 novice contest over C&D four weeks ago, finishing second to the pace-setting Silver Hallmark. That effort entitles him to be right in the firing line now back in a handicap and he's greatly respected as such.

Top-weight Bold Plan is another with claims having turned over odds-on favourite The Big Breakaway at Exeter in December (getting 8lb from the second). That rival went on to finish second in the Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Kempton behind Shan Blue.

This trip should be more to the liking of Dublin Four, while it's very much to be noted how French import Farinet goes in the betting on first start for new handler Venetia Williams.

The opener can go the way of THE FERRY MASTER however for Sandy Thomson and Ryan Mania. He's only been beaten by one horse in three starts over fences and he was impressive in how he went about things at Newcastle (2m7½f, good) in November.

He really attacked the obstacles that afternoon and was quick getting away from them. He was a heavy-ground hurdles winner over this distance, so the drop back in trip isn't a big worry here and this should develop into enough of a stamina test to see him building on his efforts this season.

Selection: The Ferry Master

Next Best: Marown

 

2.05 - William Hill Rendlesham Hurdle (Grade 2, 3m)

Emitom had plenty to spare when holding off Donna's Diamond to win this Grade 2 on heavy ground last year. Warren Greatrex's charge just missed out on place money in the Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival afterwards.

He made a good start to his chasing career in October only to disappoint a fortnight later, and he's been off since. He's undergone wind surgery and cannot be factored out back over the smaller obstacles.

Lisnagar Oscar of course was a shock 50-1 scorer in the aforementioned Stayers' race at Cheltenham for trainer Rebecca Curtis. He's been held in both runs this season and has also had a wind op since last spotted. Next month is likely his chief aim and, giving away weight, the top pair are opposed.

Itchy Feet is respected back over hurdles, while veteran Ballyoptic also makes the switch to this discipline after some laboured efforts recently over fences.

On The Blind Side has already shown the benefit of such a switch this season, with Nicky Henderson's charge scoring a second win in four starts (figures read 1221) when he outbattled Lil Rockefeller at Market Rasen last month. A strong case can be made for him but MAIN FACT might leave behind his Long Walk Hurdle run.

David Pipe's charge failed to fire in that Grade 1 Ascot event and saw his long winning sequence snapped in the process. He had earlier accounted for Third Wind when they finished first and second over this C&D in November on testing ground.

The runner-up finished ahead of him at Ascot but Main Fact wasn't at his best then and, back here, could have a big bounce-back run for the Pond House team having had a short break since.

Selection: Main Fact

Next Best: On The Blind Side

2.40 - William Hill Grand National Trial Handicap Chase (Grade 3, 3m4½f)

A competitive renewal of this Grand National Trial, though it likely doesn't contain any major players for Aintree in April - at least not this particular April at any rate.

Enqarde and Sojourn are two promising younger contenders. The Anthony Honeyball-trained Sojourn finished second in the Tommy Whittle Handicap (3m1½f) here at Haydock in December and his handler feels he's starting to mature now. He's got lots of stamina in his locker.

Dr Richard Newland's French import Enqarde fell on his British chasing bow here in December but has won nicely since at Ascot (3m, soft) and is certainly an improver worth a go at this race having been put up 8lb for that win. He's getting weight from the field now.

His fellow seven-year-old Notachance proved himself over this trip with a strong staying performance to win the Classic Chase at Warwick last month, his second win in as many starts this season. He's up 7lb and once more faces Venetia Williams' Achille, second at Warwick last time. He's just 1b better off today however and must prove he can back that run up as it came on the back of an absence.

The one that appeals most is THE TWO AMIGOS for trainer Nicky Martin. He finished second in last month's Welsh National, with Captain Drake (fourth), Lord Du Mesnil (ninth), Cloudy Glen (11th), Ramses de Teillee (12th) and Springfield Fox (pulled-up) behind in the Chepstow marathon.

That was a second successive runner-up finish behind the progressive winner Secret Reprieve and he's now significantly better off at the weights than when chasing home Notachance at Bangor on his reappearance in November over three miles. He's going the right way and, up just 2lb, can prove up to gaining his first win since the 2019 Sussex National.

Selection: The Two Amigos

Next Best: Enqarde

 

3.14 - William Hill Extra Places Every Day Juvenile Hurdle (1m7½f)

Only four runners but this is a quality race nonetheless. Monmiral is 2-2 for Paul Nicholls and was victorious on his only French start at Auteuil last spring on heavy ground. The form of his Grade 2 Summit Juvenile Hurdle perhaps leaves him with improvement to find now, however.

Progressive was beaten last month in a Listed Fillies' event at Doncaster and Nicky Henderson's charge is also therefore tasked with more to find today.

NASSALAM routed his rivals in two wins at Fontwell after joining Gary Moore from Guillaume Macaire in France and, in truth, he lost little caste in defeat behind Adagio in the Grade 1 Finale Juvenile Hurdle at Chepstow early last month. The front pair had quite a battle for the prize having left the field - including fourth-placed Elham Valley - in their wake. That effort might be good enough to land this, and in truth there's probable plenty more to come.

Selection: Nassalam

Next Best: Monmiral

3.50 - Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (3m)

The unexposed Champagne Platinum likely heads the market here for Nicky Henderson and James Bowen in the JP McManus hoops. He twice won over hurdles as a novice in late 2018 and was deemed good enough to contest a Punchestown Grade 1 novice at the end of that campaign.

He was useful without winning as a novice over fences in four runs last term and caught the eye at Newbury (2m4½f, good) when third in a competitive race on the Ladbrokes Trophy card in what was his first attempt in a handicap over timber. From just 1lb higher, he could have more to offer.

There are plenty dangers lurking, and they include Bushypark, Everglow and last month's C&D one-two Potters Hedger and Farrants Way, but the vote goes to LOOK MY WAY.

He caught the eye in second behind Mind Condition (runs in following Grade 2 here) at Wetherby on Boxing Day, making steady progress from the rear in the manner of a horse that will be suited upped to this distance. He had two next-time-out winners behind and, despite being put up 4lb for his effort, can go well now having had a spin in a jumpers' bumper at Newcastle at the start of this month to leave him spot on.

Selection: Look My Way

Next Best: Champagne Platinum

 

4.25 - Albert Bartlett Prestige Novices' Hurdle (Grade 2, 3m)

MINT CONDITION could see the form of his Christmas success at Wetherby boosted by runner-up Look My Way in the preceding race and, in any case, Jennie Candlish's runner has already gone mightily close in the Grade 2 Leamington Novices' Hurdle at Warwick (2m5f, heavy) last month himself.

He had to come from an unpromising position in that race, with winner Admirel and eventual third Make Me A Believer much better off having raced prominently. Mint Condition came with a strong late challenge and would have got up in another stride. That run bodes very well as he now tackles three miles for the first time and some Grade 2 compensation may be his.

If the selection does fail to see the trip out for any reason, expect to see Young Buck in place to take advantage. Paul Nicholls' runner scored at Chepstow recently over just shy of three miles on heavy ground and did so despite idling having jumped the last in complete command.

There could be more to come from him if something can take him into the race strongly. His win there was a nod to Beatthebullet, Rebecca Curtis' charge having beaten him at Hereford in November over 3m1½f, getting up late on to score in receipt of 6lb.

Selection: Mind Condition

Next Best: Young Buck

5.00 - Follow willhillracing On Twitter Open Hunters' Chase (2m6f)

Wishing And Hoping was 2-3 in this sphere last term, scoring readily at Taunton and Catterick when allowed to bowl along in front. In between times, he had finished second to Alcala in a four-runner renewal of this contest on heavy ground. They were miles clear of their two rivals and it's likely to be another bold showing up front now in a bid to go one better than last year.

Bob And Co beat the aforementioned Alcala to win at Fontwell over a much longer trip when last spotted at Fontwell 363 days ago. His stamina was key there and, perhaps, he was helped by the second having gone to the well in defeating Wishing And Hoping here only eight days earlier. The Ditcheat inmate has undergone a wind op since that run last February and is taken very seriously.

A Grade 1-winning three-mile hurdler at his peak, THE WORLDS END made a pleasing first appearance in a hunters chase when third at Warwick 17 days ago over three miles. He blundered a fence midway through and perhaps that stopped him going through with his effort having ranged up ominously at the second last. He couldn't justify favouritism ultimately but it was a good start in this sphere and Olly Murphy's charge may reward those that retain the faith.

Selection: The Worlds End

Next Best: Wishing And Hoping

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