Friday 16th October 2026
2.17 Haydock – (Class 3 Handicap) (1m)
The Peter Chapple-Hyam-trained DESPERATE DAN is a heavy-ground specialist and comes into the contest fresher than most, having only had three starts this term, and he’s progressed with each run. Most recently, he stayed on over course and distance to finish fourth in a Class 2 affair, which was a very solid effort, and down in grade here, he should make his presence felt under Marco Ghiani. He’s also been dropped a pound following that effort, making him just two pounds higher than his last winning mark. The Chapple-Hyam yard are also in form at the moment
Viper is the most obvious danger for Brian Ellison and Rowan Scott, he was a three and a half length winner last time at Ayr. However, he’s up in grade and has to shoulder an eight-pound rise in the weights. Monoceros won over course and distance on soft ground on his penultimate start, and could go well again here under Billy Loughnane off a three-pound higher mark.
Selection: Desperate Dan – (11/4) (Win)
4.37 Haydock – (Class 3 Handicap) (5f)
City Captain will be popular with punters at the top of the betting here for Harriet Bethell and Jason Watson; he comes into the race in fine form, having won two of his last three starts, and only been beaten by a head in the other. He’s highly likely to give his running again on ground he should act on.
It could pay to side with the John & Sean Quinn-trained EYE OF DUBAI, though, who’s the mount of Jason Hart. He won the twenty-four-runner Ayr Bronze Cup just three starts ago, and whilst he didn’t handle the faster surface at Ripon on his penultimate start, he bounced straight back to form at Ayr last time out on heavy ground when finishing half a length second of eleven. He travelled well throughout that contest over six furlongs, which makes him well worth a try back down at five here, and off the same mark and ground has every chance.
There’s a lot of patchy form on offer throughout the remainder of the line-up. Explosive Finish has been consistent as of late for Kevin & Lauren Frost as of late, and could give another good account of himself here; however, he is up in grade.
Selection: Eye Of Dubai – (11/2) (Each-Way)
(4 places)
