4.00pm Haydock Tips & Betting Preview 03/09/2016

A short and sharp sprint over the minimum trip that has seen just the two winning favourites in the last ten years but interestingly Tim Easterby has won it twice in that time and has Confessional (14/1 Each Way) in here with Cam Hardie booked to ride. The son of top sire Dubawi has been put down another pound after finishing fifth to Judicial at Chester and at his best would win this pulling a cart, trouble is he is now a nine-year-old and his best was four years ago but he could still go well for a stable that clearly targets this race. With the withdrawal of our original tip Kasbah, he looks an excellent bet at the odds and the change in ground won’t be an issue.

One glance at the betting and we can all see how competitive this race is with El Astronaute (8/1) just shading it at the top of the betting for trainer John Quinn as he looks to shrug off a six pound penalty for his Epsom win at the end of last month. He saw off Humidor by half a length that day after hitting the front a furlong or so out and then fighting off all challengers, and he seems sure to go well again now but an effective rating of 90 seems beyond him and we are happy enough with our selection.

Gay Kelleway has her horses in great form lately so it would be rude not to mention Lightscameraaction (12/1) who has already won at Listed level this season when beating Take Cover a neck on the Lingfield polytrack. Since then he has finished second to Judicial at Chester  when well ahead of Confessional so is holding his form and a repeat of his very best efforts would see him place at least under David Egan who takes seven pounds off his back this afternoon.

Finally, Gary Moore also has his horses in great form and he has the well regarded Dutch Masterpiece (11/1) in here carrying nine stone five under George Baker. They have always thought a lot of him at home but he rarely lives up to his reputation on the track though one day he will make us all eat those words and hack up at a big price, but not today we hope.

Kasbah (Non Runner) who is in the capable hands of sprint King Robert Cowell who knows exactly how to train these speedier sorts. Still only a four-year-old, this will be his first run for his new trainer having moved over from the Irish yard of Johnny Murtagh. He has already got three wins and four places to his name so it will take something special to improve him but new surroundings can wake a horse up, and we will be backing him each way this afternoon as that seems the sensible route.