YOU can understand why Quarenta and The Paddy Pie dominate the market for the Betway Challenger Staying Chase Series Final at Haydock today.

Both are progressive young staying chasers who have the potential to go higher than the respective handicap ratings off which they race today.

Quarenta has won two of his last three, and he stayed on well to beat Global Dream at Warwick last time. He is only seven and that was just his fourth run over fences, so he has the potential to progress again.

However, Global Dream was disappointing last time, and the handicapper raised Quarenta by 5lb for beating him by just a neck.

His three wins over obstacles have all been at Warwick, and he is short enough now, racing at Haydock for the first time.

The Paddy Pie is a year younger, and he has course form, he won over two and a half miles at Haydock in February on good ground. However, he still has to prove his stamina for this trip.

DISTANCE

It appeared that he didn’t fully get this type of distance in two attempts in November on good ground and, while you can see him travelling well for a long way, he may just be vulnerable over the last two fences.

Salmanazar is not a dour stayer either, Chic Name and Joe Farrell got away from him a bit from the third last fence in a three-and-a-quarter-mile chase at Newbury last time.

But he did keep on well enough to repel Classic Ben and retain third place. It was a good run in a decent race.

The handicapper dropped him by 1lb for that which was more than fair. That takes him down to a mark of 120, which is 20lb lower than his peak.

He is 11 now, he is obviously not as good as he was four years ago, but his last two runs, that run at Newbury and his previous run at Sandown, suggest that he could be a well-handicapped horse now off that mark.

The easier track today and the slight drop in distance should reduce the emphasis on stamina slightly, and that is a positive.

He could put it up to his younger rivals.

Some 35 minutes earlier, Cause Toujours could go well in the two-mile hurdle final.

Ian Williams’ horse got to within two lengths of Grand Sancy in a listed novices’ hurdle over today’s course and distance last November. Grand Sancy finished fourth in the old Ladbroke Hurdle at Ascot next time, before finishing second in the Grade 1 Tolworth Hurdle.

Then he went to Wincanton and won the Grade 2 Kingwell Hurdle in open company, beating subsequent Champion Chase third Sceau Royal and subsequent National Spirit Hurdle winner Vision Des Flos into second and third places respectively.

Cause Toujours has run just once since, he finished second behind West To The Bridge in a novices’ hurdle at Aintree in December that was full of incident.

He raced too keenly that day in a six-runner field that was reduced by 50% before they set out on their final circuit.

He should settle better today off the stronger pace that he will surely get. He has lots of pace, he goes well on good ground, and he is one for one at the track, over this course and distance.

There are lots of positives.

RECOMMENDED

CAUSE TOUJOURS, 2.05 Haydock, 1 point win, 7/1 (generally)

SALMANZAR, 2.40 Haydock, 1 point win, 8/1 (generally)