2.20pm Haydock Tips & Betting Preview 10/06/2017

After a promising return at York on his latest start, STONEYFORD LANE will be looking to kick on for Steph Hollinshead as he bids for his first handicap victory. Winning in good style on debut at Bath back in April 2016, he did all his best work late on at York when fifth and ahead of Savannah’s Dream, keeping on well and hinting he needed the six furlong trip on seasonal debut. He is down a pound in the handicap and if building upon that return he’d be a big player under Royston Ffrench, as he clearly suits the ground and he looks likely to make a much better three year old now that reappearance is out the way.

Tom Dascombe continues to pop in the winners and he sends Full Intention to the race for owner John Dance, who is looking for his first handicap success. Fourth in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot back in June 2016, it took him seven attempts to break his maiden after being a beaten favourite on five occasions prior. He has been steadily improving in handicaps though with his best result coming on his latest start at Haydock where he was a close second, headed in the final furlong to which he couldn’t respond. He is up 2lbs in the handicap as a result but he’s still lightly raced and we may have not seen the best of him yet, with conditions to suit and the in form Richard Kingscote taking the ride.

William Haggas’ string are flying at the moment with a 26% strike rate from his last thirty-four runners and he sends the promising Pennsylvania Dutch to the race. Only seen once on a racecourse, he made his track debut over C&D in September, running on strongly and always looking the likely winner once shaken up. An opening mark of 81 on handicap debut isn’t necessarily harsh and he is thoroughly unexposed, falling into the ‘could be anything’ category. His dam won on soft which gives ample hope he will handle the ground and if he does he’d have to be considered a big player under Ben Curtis, as he’s bred to be speedy so this will likely be his optimum trip.

Finally breaking her maiden at the seventh attempt on her penultimate start, Savannah’s Dream drops in class for this run and shouldn’t be discounted lightly for a trainer in good form. She won said maiden at Thirsk and immediately went back into handicap company, last seen at York twenty-two days ago where she finished a good sixth, perhaps needing the longer trip with the five not suiting her that day. The softer ground will be of no problem for her as she’s proven on it from multiple starts, with all but one of her runs coming with give in the ground. She can make her presence felt off a two pound lower mark than her latest run and she has to be respected with Shelley Birkett taking off three pounds from her back, but she does look exposed compared to some of these and her inconsistency could be her downfall in this.

The presence of Ryan Moore on a horse certainly adds interest and that is no different for Fantasy Keeper, who he gets the leg up on for the first time. This three year old son of Mayson was poor on debut and didn’t improve much in two subsequent starts for Mick Appleby, coming alive on his latest start. He took a comfortable victory on that handicap debut at Nottingham and as a result he’s been raised six pounds, but his progression is likely to continue. He clearly appreciated the softer ground and switch to six furlongs, so he looks a likely candidate for the placings again under Moore, who will be giving him the best possible chance from stall five.

Not one to rely on heavily as he’s certainly inconsistent, Awesome Allan has the form to get involved under Danny Tudhope but likely would have preferred a five furlong race. Suited by softer ground, he ran a good race on Monday at Windsor when headed in the final stride and he remains on the same mark for David Evans. On that evidence he should go close again if in the same form, but whether six furlongs is his optimum is the main concern surrounding him. He had a torrid time of things on his only start at the six furlong trip at Chester on his penultimate start, but despite the ground being ‘good’ he did run out of stamina late on, fading into seventh. On that evidence he is risky back up in trip, but he could be worth another shot at it if getting an easier time of it and he’s an each way player if things go his way out in front.