IT is eyes everywhere today with Day One of Irish Champions Weekend at Leopardstown and Haydock Sprint Cup day going on across the water, as well as top cards at Ascot and Kempton. It is a veritable feast. At least we’re not clashing with the St Leger at Doncaster, and at least the Sprint Cup will be done and dusted before racing starts at Leopardstown.

The ground is going to be soft at Haydock, and that may present a slight issue for favourite Harry Angel. Clive Cox’s horse did win the Group 2 Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury last year on easy ground, but the ground is probably going to be softer today than it was that day and, anyway, all his top-class form this year has been on fast ground. His speed may not be as potent on easy ground as it was last time at Newmarket when conditions were fast.

As well as that, he did have the run of the race at Newmarket. He was up with the pace in a race that was run to suit the prominent racers.

The Godolphin colt had less than two lengths to spare over Brando in the July Cup, and Brando raced against a pace bias, making ground from the rear inside the final furlong. Also, Brando is proven on soft ground, he is probably at his best with at least a little bit of cut in the ground. Kevin Ryan’s horse has won over today’s course and distance, and he has gone to France since Newmarket and put up a really impressive performance to land the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest.

It would not be surprising if Brando exacted his revenge on Harry Angel in today’s, nor if he usurped him at the top of the market beforehand. However, odds of 3/1 about him are probably no better than fair.

Tasleet is obviously interesting, Sheikh Hamdan’s horse was a bit of a revelation in the Duke of York Stakes in May, and he proved that there was no fluke about that performance when he ran a cracker to finish second behind The Tin Man in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot. He is talented, and that Duke of York Stakes was run on soft ground.

However, just in the back of your mind is the fact that trainer William Haggas was concerned about the soft ground before the York race, and that his only other win on easy ground before that was also at York. He is unproven on soft ground at Haydock.

At a bigger price, The Tin Man could be the value of the race. James Fanshawe’s horse won that Diamond Jubilee Stakes, he beat Tasleet and Limato and he had Magical Memory well behind him.

You have to forgive him a poor run in the July Cup, but he was weak in the market before that race, his first run at either of the Newmarket courses, he just never seemed to travel, and he was held up in that race in which the prominent racers were advantaged. There is every chance that he will bounce back to his best today.

His best could be good enough to win today’s race. He is proven at Haydock, and he is proven on soft ground, and he is proven on soft ground at Haydock. He ran a cracker to finish second to Quiet Reflection in this race last year.

It never looked like he was going to beat Karl Burke’s filly that day, but he did well to get as close as he did to her after missing the break.

He is drawn well in stall nine, towards the near side and, while he is going to have to be at the top of his game to win, odds of 7/1 about him are more than fair.

SUPERIOR MILE

Mitchum Swagger has plenty to find on official ratings in the Superior Mile, he has 8lb to find with the top-rated horses, but he will have conditions in his favour, and that gives him a chance of closing the gap.

David Lanigan’s horse is probably at his best racing over a mile on soft ground, ideally off a fast pace. He will have two of those elements in his favour today, and he could have all three.

He is highly capable when he has his conditions, as he proved when he finished second in this race last year, just a head behind Hathal.

He ran a nice race on his debut this season in the Group 2 Bet365 Mile at Sandown, running on from the rear on ground that should have been faster than ideal for him and off a moderate enough pace.

Out of his depth in the Lockinge Stakes, he again shaped nicely next time, over seven furlongs at today’s track, again closing at the end to finish a close-up fourth behind Absolutely So.

It was only a Class 3 contest that he won last time at Thirsk, but he was impressive in so doing, and, his first win since September 2015, that should set him up nicely for today.

His record over today’s course and distance reads 122 and, given how well he ran in the race last year, it is probable that his trainer has had today’s race in mind for him since early in the season. Conditions have come right, and he could run a big race

.

RECOMMENDED

THE TIN MAN, 1 point win, 7/1 (generally)

MITCHUM SWAGGER, 1 point win, 5/1 (generally)