Haydock Saturday

2.05 Bet365 Handicap 1m 6f

I have concerns about the progressive Arctic Fox staying this trip, while blinkers are do-or-die for quirky Prefontaine, and more die than do to my mind, and the conclusion is that this could be a whitewash for Mark Johnston, who fields four with chances.

The vote goes to Sir Ron Priestley, who is excused a tame effort at Ascot given the ground had gone against him (similar excuses apply to Summer Moon in the same contest), and he will relish this surface as well as the longer trip. Hopefully, stablemate Mind The Crack won’t attempt to match strides with his early on, as a soft lead would greatly aid his cause.

2.40 Bet365 Lancashire Oaks (Group 2) 1m 3f 175yds

Not many of these will find these conditions optimum, with the bottom pair better over shorter, and the others proven over one and three-quarter miles.

That is the case with Enbihaar, who was just touched off by Dramatic Queen at York last time having been in front for a long time.

She lost concentration rather than ran out of stamina there, but would have been a decisive winner at this trip, and had previously beaten Klassique in the one-and-a-half-mile Daisy Warwick Stakes at Goodwood.

I’d be fairly confident that the return to this trip on fast ground would enable her to confirm form with Klassique, and turn the tables with Dramatic Queen.

3.15 Bet365 Old Newton Cup Handicap 1m 3f 175yds

With my pre-race fancy Infrastructure failing to get a run as first reserve, it needs a second look. I’m not bowled over by Zetland Gold Cup winner Al Muffrih, who is drawn widest of all and can take a grip, which isn’t an ideal combination, while the Redcar race hasn’t thrown up a single next-time-out winner.

First Eleven is a deserving favourite in one sense, as the York race he won is very strong form, but handicappers all have their limitations in terms of what burden they can defy, and that becomes harder with increased distance.

A mark of 109 is at the upper end of that range, and only Muntahaa in last year’s Ebor, and Rainbow High in the 2001 Chester Cup has defied such a mark in open handicap company over this trip or further in the past 20 years.

It may still pay to focus on that race, however, with the next few home all likewise making the frame in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at Royal Ascot. The fifth and seventh, Caliburn and Red Galileo won their next starts, and the horse who split them, Indianapolis looks of interest here at a long price.

The James Given-trained colt is 1lb lower than for that highly meritorious effort, and he travelled well upped to an extended one-mile, five-furlong at Ayr last time, but simply failed to stay after hitting the front two furlongs out. The return to this trip will suit, he’s well drawn to get a good position tracking the leaders, and appears to have a solid chance on form, so 20/1 with paddy Power seems very fair.

Sandown Saturday

1.50 Coral Charge (Sprint) (Group 3) 5f 10yds

The Cruising Lord rewarded each-way support when recommended here a couple of weeks ago and was better than the bare result having met some trouble before finishing second to Kurious over the course and distance. This is tougher, but Michael Attwater’s sprinter is progressing and has a fine draw in stall three. With question marks hanging over most of the field, and the need for luck over this course levelling the playing field, he will not have to take much of a jump forward to get involved.

2.25 Coral Challenge (Handicap) 1m

Like many of David Menuisier’s horses, History Writer goes well here, and after going down in a three-way photo in the Whitsun Cup, he won here by two lengths last month, putting up a lifetime best in the process. He is still a little rough around the edges, so could do better, but he is meeting Lush Life on worse terms than when beaten by her in the aforementioned Whitsun Cup, and he also disappointed on his next start, so the fact she was beaten favourite at Newcastle on her next start doesn’t explain the difference in their prices.

Jamie Osborne’s filly is not fully exposed, and with the pair she beat here in May both having won Class 2 handicaps since, she looks well treated off just 3lbs higher. A wide draw over a mile here is not the handicap it can be at other trips because of the orientation of the track, with the mile start on a short spur.

3.35 Coral-Eclipse (Group 1) 1m 1f 209yds

There is no doubt that Enable is the one to beat here, but the ante-post market has not factored fully her potential weaknesses here – a lack of match practice and a trip palpably short of her best. She had little to spare over Magical in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf in November, and while Enable has been standing still, Magical has run four times since, and every time has confirmed her standing as a top-class filly in her own right.

She was far from disgraced in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot last time, when the winner was simply given a perfect ride by Frankie Dettori, and Magical would have needed wings to overhaul Crystal Ocean given how that race panned out. Quicker ground will suit here, as will the long, stiff straight at Sandown, and she seems sure to run her race.

That will ask serious questions of Enable, and while the 2017 vintage would rise to meet that challenge, she did have a setback or two last year, and hardly looked unassailable despite winning all three of her starts in a truncated campaign. She may win this, but the truth is she has little in hand of her main rival in terms of form shown in the past 12 months, and she will need to be at her very best to succeed.

Recommended

Enbihaar 14.40 Haydock – 2pts win @ 11/4 (Ladbrokes, William Hill)

Indianapolis 15.15 Haydock – 1pt e/w @ 20/1 (Paddy Power, Coral)

The Cruising Lord 13.50 Sandown – 1pt e/w @ 25/1 (Paddy Power, Betfair)

Lush Life 14.25 Sandown – 1pt win @ 10/1 (general)

Magical 15.35 Sandown – 1pt win @ 7/2 (Coral, William Hill, Bet365)

THE German preview is on page 34.

Winner

Rory tipped Carnwennan who won at Newcastle (7/2 favourite).