Haydock Saturday

1.48 Betfred Supports Jack Berry House Reverence Handicap 6f

The tendency here at Haydock is that either the inside or outside stalls will have an advantage over the middle, and which flank is favoured is often dictated by the pace. For me, the best of the pace here comes from the far side stalls (low numbers), with Dakota Gold and Sergeant Wilko berthed to dispute the running in stalls five and six, respectively. I can’t see much pace from the high numbers and the race should suit those who can track the speed on the far side, which suggests Durham Castle as the likeliest winner.

Lightly raced, Durham Castle won on his handicap bow at Goodwood in September and is having his first run since. The Crisford team tend to have their runners well forward, so fitness is no great concern, and the Goodwood form has worked out well, with third-placed Aramram winning three handicaps since, including off a 10lb higher mark at Newbury a fortnight ago, while runner-up Rhythm N’ Hooves has won twice from similar marks and is currently rated 5lb higher than he was at Goodwood.

That suggests that the unexposed Durham Castle remains well treated despite going up 9lb to 89 for that success. He is surely capable of better still at this trip.

2.23 Betfred “The Classic Bookmaker” Achilles Stakes (Listed) 5f

The pace is again high in the Achilles, with Democracy Dilemma usually a reliable sort to go a real gallop at the minimum trip and he’s drawn in stall nine here. In truth, the draw shouldn’t matter much in a field of this size, but it’s encouraging to me that Balmoral Lady is drawn next to the obvious front runner here.

She’s not the best of these by any means, but ran as well as she ever has when one and a quarter lengths third of 12 to Roman Dragon at Chester last time, where she had pretty much the worst of the draw but ran on well to be closest at the finish in similar conditions to those forecast here.

That effort at Chester took Balmoral Lady’s record at short of six furlongs and away from firmish ground to 211113, and she is a thoroughly reliable filly when getting her conditions. A bit more rain would have helped, but she arrives at the top of her game and should get a tow into the race, so appeals as a solid win and place option at double-figure prices.

Jasour goes well fresh and could be a class apart if a breathing operation sees him back to form, so he appeals as the most obvious winner, but he’s already pretty well found in the market.

2.58 Betfred Nifty 50 Lester Piggott Fillies’ Stakes (Group 3) 1m 3f 175yd

Given William Haggas is married to Lester Piggott’s daughter Maureen, it is clearly worth checking out his runner here, and he has captured two of the last three runnings. Chorus is the Haggas representative and should go well, but as long as there is some juice in the ground, my preference is for Estrange, who won two from three for David O’Meara last year having been a throw-out from the Gosden yard, and her only defeat came on quick ground on her second start. On genuinely soft ground, she would be close to nap material here, but should not be too inconvenienced by good ground, as long as she can make a print. Very lightly raced and bred to excel at this trip, Estrange is worth chancing unless the word “firm” pops up in the going description.

3.33 Betfred John Of Gaunt Stakes (Group 3) 7f 37yd

I want to take on the pair with the highest ratings here, with Audience failing to attempt a double in the Lockinge appearing as a negative. He’s equally effective at seven furlongs, having also won the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood, but is yet to show his form around a left-handed bend.

He’s arguably best when able to race alone, and is a risky proposition, as is Kinross, who has a Group 2 penalty and is likely to need his first run since October, while he looked to have regressed slightly last season and is getting no younger at the age of eight.

That doesn’t make the race that much easier to solve, in truth, but one who appeals as overpriced is Ed Walker’s Ten Bob Tony, who is best at this trip and ran his best race when beaten half a length by Topgear in the Group 3 Prix du Pin at Longchamp in September. That effort was his first in 118 days and underlines that he can go very well fresh, so the lack of a recent run is no concern, and his stable is absolutely flying at present.

York Saturday

2.40 William Hill More Top Prices Handicap 5f

With a race later on the card run in memory of longstanding Yorkshire owner/breeder Reg Bond, it looks significant that the familiar Bond colours make an appearance here with Chairman Bond making his debut for the in-form yard of Geoff Oldroyd. Oldroyd and Bond have had a very successful partnership over the years and, while Chairman Bond lost his way for Bryan Smart last term, he has become very well handicapped and will take the world of beating if the change of stables has had a positive effect.

Only a handful of horses have made the switch from Smart to Oldroyd in the last year, but two of those have been winners, with Lady Nunthorpe scoring twice, at 6/1 and 7/1 and Reginald Charles also successful on two occasions, including on his debut for Oldroyd in January.

Chairman Bond has won twice off a break, most recently on his 2023 return from a mark of 95, while he was beaten just three-parts of a length in the Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap at Royal Ascot on his reappearance the previous year. Now rated just 84, he is absolutely thrown in on those efforts and rates the best bet of the day at prices as big as 25/1 at the time of writing.

Recommended

Durham Castle 1.48 Haydock – 1pt win 9/2 (general)

Balmoral Lady 2.23 Haydock - 1pt e/w 14/1 (BetVictor, Ladbrokes – 3 places)

Ten Bob Tony 3.33 Haydock – 1pt e/w 12/1 (general – 4 places)

Chairman Bond 2.40 York – 1.5pts e/w 25/1 (Coral 1/5 odds 4 places/Ladbrokes ¼ odds 3 places)