12:20
Haydock
Odds correct as of 3:02pm 20th Dec
It has been raining at Haydock Racecourse this week and we are guaranteed pretty soft conditions. Adrian Wall will take a look at three horses who should relish these conditions on Saturday.
Hurricane Ali goes on any ground and the former course and distance winner ticks a lot of boxes in the 2m3f handicap hurdle for conditional riders. James Moffatt’s eight-year-old hasn’t won a race since 2022, but he has run some big races in defeat this year, namely when placing three times at Cartmel during the spring and summer months. Runner-up there on soft ground in May, he has a 10lb claimer on here so he’s certainly well treated.
Training duo Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero have a fine string to go to war with this season and one of them is Kelya Wood, who should take some beating in the 2m3f Listed hurdle for mares. She bolted up on her rules debut when seeing off a Nicky Henderson-trained runner in a Uttoxeter bumper on heavy ground last month. This front-running mare probably won’t be for catching if they allow her to dictate from the front, that’s for sure.
Netywell has the burden of top weight and 12 stone to contend with, but Lucinda Russell’s inmate is a model of consistency and he will relish underfoot conditions. The seven-year-old racked up a hat-trick of wins in handicaps over fences last season, going from a mark of 110 up to 131 in the space of a few months. He struggled a bit off his career-high mark at Carlisle in April, but he’s 3lb lower now and he ran well when third over course and distance on his return.
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