Haydock Saturday

14:25 Betway Pinnacle Stakes (Group 3) 1m 3f 175y

Testing ground should be less of an issue for True Self than most, and Willie Mullins can increase his fine strike-rate with runners on the flat in England. The six-year-old mare began her career in Newmarket with the shrewd Don Cantillon, for whom she ought to have won a bumper on her debut, and she has proved a great buy for her current connections.

Listed wins at Bath and Newmarket (in the James Seymour Stakes) were gained in facile fashion. The daughter of Oscar is clearly well up to pattern standard.

She didn’t have to be at her best to record a cosy victory on her return to action at Gowran last month, and that will have done enough to ensure she is at concert pitch for this, which represents her biggest test to date.

In truth, she won’t have to improve to win getting weight from Highgarden, whose win the Princess Royal Stakes at Newmarket was hard won. She will struggle to confirm form with Mrs Sippy on a strict reading of the margins and revised weights.

It’s possible that Highgarden, who started favourite for the Musidora last year, will progress again as a four-year-old, but she will need to if she’s to get near the Mullins mare, who is the automatic pick on racecourse achievement.

15:00 Betway Achilles Stakes (Listed) 5f

I want to be against both Stake Acclaim and particularly Danzeno here, with that pair winning impressively after long absences on their latest starts. The worry with such efforts is that it’s almost impossible to build on them in the circumstances.

While the former should to relish the conditions, the race he won at Newbury fell apart in his wake. Danzeno’s win came less than a week ago and he has rarely been asked to back up quickly. He finished unplaced on the only occasion he’s been turned out within 10 days of a previous run.

With that pair dominating the market, there ought to be some each-way value, and the obvious pick in the circumstances is Intense Romance, who is a mudlark with a course and distance win to her name, and who will be spot on after a spin in listed company at Naas in April.

Michael Dods has a special touch with speedy fillies, and this looks a good opportunity for Intense Romance to get back to winning ways, or put more succinctly, it will be a shock to see her out of the frame.

15:35 Betway John of Gaunt Stakes (Group 3) 7f 37y

In normal circumstances, I would be all over Sir Dancealot over this trip and dropping from Group 1 company, but I don’t think he wants to race on ground verging on heavy (well-beaten in the Sprint Cup here last season when conditions were testing), and I must swerve him for another day.

In the prevailing conditions, I think the clear pick is the progressive handicapper Safe Voyage, who defied a welter burden to score over the track and trip on his return, and is a true seven-furlong specialist.

He didn’t need to improve on his previous form to land the Listed Spring Trophy here last time, although it’s always encouraging to see a horse like him take the step up to pattern company in their stride. This is clearly tougher again, but this track and trip are ideal for him and he will cope with bottomless ground, whereas a few of his rivals won’t.

Among those who will cope is Breton Rock, but he’s performed at least as well on good ground recently as he has in the mud, and has already been beaten at short-ish prices no less than four times in this contest.

He’s been well backed all week and is a horse I love, but his position in the market is a matter of wise-guy logic trumping traditional wisdom. While I would love to see him win at the fifth attempt, I cannot bring myself to back him at the prices.

Safe Voyage (near) winning the Irish Stallion Farms EBF "Ahonoora" Handicap at Galway last year \ Healy Racing

Newmarket Saturday

14:10 Bentley Cambridge Handicap 7f

After John looks to have been given a real chance by the assessor on his handicap debut after an easy win at Pontefract last time. The son of Dutch Art has improved with each run, and while the win over six furlongs at Pontefract was his best effort, he should not be underestimated on his previous second at Newbury.

On that occasion he was slammed by seven lengths by Jubiloso, but the winner looks out of the top drawer, and I don’t think After John needs to step up much to go close here.

Awe is respected having had no luck at all in a valuable handicap at Haydock two weeks ago, and is a clear danger, but After John appeals as being slightly better value, and is open to plenty of improvement having only made his debut at Salisbury at the end of April.

14:45 Bernard Sunley Memorial Handicap 1m 6f

This is an open handicap in which the unexposed Spirit Ridge is respected, but the vote goes to the tough and consistent Theglasgowwarrior, who ran an absolute stormer in the Cesarewitch at this track in October. He travelled as well as anything as he moved into contention in the straight, but failing to see out the 2¼m journey as well as the principals.

He’s returned in good heart and is just a couple of pounds higher than when winning at Hamilton last month. The return to 1¾m will suit him, as will this galloping track, and he doesn’t get many chances to run under ideal conditions.

Track, trip and going all look perfect for him here, and he should get the end-to-end gallop he needs to bring his powerful finish into play, so looks a decent proposition at double-figure odds.

Recommended

AFTER JOHN:14:10 Newmarket – 1pt win @ 8/1 (Bet365, Paddy Power)

THEGLASGOWWARRIOR: 14:45 Newmarket – 1pt e/w @ 12/1 (Ladbrokes, Coral)

INTENSE ROMANCE: 15:00 Haydock – 1pt e/w @ 9/2 (Bet365)

SAFE VOYAGE: 15:35 Haydock – 2pts win @ 7/2 (Bet365)