1.50pm Haydock Tips & Betting Preview 21/07/2017

A field of sixteen go to post for an intriguing handicap at Haydock on Friday afternoon. See our betting tips and the full race preview below.

IN SUMMARY: The form of Lathom and Foxtrot Knight could work out very well and there won’t be much between them again today but the vote goes to FOXY FOREVER. The Wigham trained horse has seen plenty of market support which is very telling for this yard. He can take advantage of the drop in class.

1 LATHOM – Form ties in closely with rival Foxtrot Knight who fought out the places at Ayr eleven days ago. He was beat just half a length and surely has to enter calculations off the back of that run but he hasn’t won for nearly two years and has the burden of conceding weight to the field.

2 SEVE – Might well be a popular choice with the Open Championship being played at Royal Birkdale this week. Impossible to fancy on recent efforts and his last two wins have come on the All-Weather but he will enjoy the ground and he is three pounds lower than when successful at Sandown off 84 two years ago.

3 MIDNIGHT MALIBU – Needs to put an awful run at York behind her but she has a clear liking for Haydock, recording a win over this course and distance and a fine effort in second here two starts back. One of the likelier tips for an in form Easterby stable and certainly can’t be dismissed.

4 MEMORIES GALORE – All three wins have been gained on the All-Weather and the Roger Fell trained gelding has shown nothing in recent starts to suggest a win is around the corner; beat 18 lengths, 20 lengths and 34 lengths on his last three starts.

5 FOXY FOREVER – Very unfortunate not to have greeted the winners enclosure at least once from his last two outings, slightly hampered when third at Sandown and followed that up with a close up fifth in Class 2 company at Newmarket when last seen. Drops into Class 4 company today so has obvious claims off one pound lower.

6 INVINCIBLE RIDGE – Better than the bare result would suggest last time out, finishing a close up sixth at Ayr, beat just over two lengths. The nine year old has raced at Haydock three times in his career and never took to the track so the jury is still out as to whether he holds a chance today or not.

7 BALLESTEROS – What a coincidence! Both Seve and Ballesteros run in the same race on Open Championship week. This eight year old who hails from the Richard Fahey stable is a former course and distance winner off a reasonable mark and drops in class from his recent Chester outing.

8 TARBOOSH – The sprint king Paul Midgley trains this four year old gelding who won by half a length at Ripon off of a mark of 72 two starts back last month. He failed to back up that run off a five pound higher mark at Beverley last time out and may struggle off the same mark here today.

9 FOXTROT KNIGHT – Ruth Carr is having the best season of her career and she has another very solid chance in this handicap with this five year old who was narrowly beat at Ayr last time out. He had Lathom back in third on that occasion so has the edge over that rival and merits plenty of respect again.

10 AFRICAN FRIEND – The least exposed runner in the field and potentially the one who could move on to better things. Henry Candy’s gelding disappointed on debut when sent off a warm 4/5 favourite but he got stuck in the mud that day. He made up for it at Windsor last time out, clinging on to win and looks sure to improve again today. Big player.

11 LANDING NIGHT – It is unusual to see Rebecca Menzies with a five furlong sprinter as she normally ploys her trade over the jumps but this horse is not without a chance. He was only beat over a length at Doncaster last time out in fourth and looks sure to put in a bold bid off the same mark.

12 RAZIN’ HELL – Eight time winner between the All-Weather and turf and certainly enjoys rattling ground. Looked a certain winner last time out over this course and distance but got collared right on the line by the fast finishing Foxy Boy. Big each player with a repeat effort from the front.

13 JABBAROCKIE – Finished a creditable second at Doncaster on soft ground over the minimum last month but that was a mediocre six runner affair and he will need to improve substantially to take a hand in this much tougher assignment today.

14 DUSTY BLUE – As with all of Mick Easterby’s runners, the market signals will tell us how strong a chance this horse has. Form goes out the window with this yard and the gelding is now down to a very workable mark after a spell with the Loughnane yard. Interesting and worth a second look.

15 CRUISE TOTHELIMIT – Hardy exposed campaigner who does most of his running on the All-Weather these days. His last turf win came back in 2014 and although he was second last time out, that was in Class 6 company and a lot more is needed to trouble the judge here.

16 RED STRIPES – Dropped another two pounds for an OK run at Epsom last time out, five lengths off the winner Highland Acclaim. All four of his wins have come on the All-Weather and he may become a more interesting proposition when he goes back to that surface.