3 minute read

Sam King returned with a Haydock winner last night and is back with three more selections on this superb Saturday’s action…

Our first selection comes from Haydock and the Sky Bet John Of Gaunt Stakes at 3.35 looks like the perfect contest for Jumby.

Eve Johnson Houghton's five-year-old has shaped much better than the bare result on both starts this season. He really caught the eye when finishing fifth in the Abernant Stakes at Newmarket on his reappearance having lost many lengths out of the stalls and ran well to a certain extent over a trip too far in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes at Newbury three weeks ago.

The drop back to 7f on rattling ground at Haydock should be right up his street and this looks to be about his level. There should be enough pace on for him to get a nice toe into the contest and there are plenty of questions marks surrounding other runners with El Caballo yet to prove he can act under quick conditions, while The Astrologist needs to bounce back from his disappointing first effort since arriving in the UK.

Eve Johnson Houghton's horses seem to have been running well without winning in recent starts but I'm hoping their stable star can get his head back in front for the first time since landing the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes at Newbury last season.

Selection: Jumby – General 11/4

There are few better yards in form than the Ed Dunlop team at present with an impressive 28% strike-rate (9-28) over the last 14 days and Orchestra looks to have every chance of boosting that stat in the Price Promise At bet365 Handicap at Beverley (3.50).

The gelded son of Golden Horn has clearly shown a liking for the Yorkshire venue and course form can be vitally important at Beverley. He's the only previous course winner in the line-up and I'd say that gives him a massive advantage given Beverley's undulating and unique nature.

He stuck on resolutely to score by three-quarters of a length here last month and that form looks solid enough with the second-placed horse coming out and winning at Chester subsequently. A 5lb rise in the weights looks fair and I'm expecting plenty of improvement from him now stepping up to 1m4f for the first time.

Quicker conditions pose a small question mark, but I don't see it being much of a problem and he can record a third career success.

Selection: Orchestra – General 7/4

Alice Haynes sends just one horse to Catterick this afternoon and I'm hoping it will prove a worthwhile journey with Live In The Moment landing the Download The Vickers.Bet App Handicap at 4.30.

There's no doubt he sets the form standard here and a mark of 87 looks more than workable given the form he produced last season off higher marks for previous trainer Adam West. The 6f trip probably just stretched him when nabbed on the line at Doncaster two starts ago and it's very easy to ignore his latest effort at Epsom when the stalls clearly opened late, and he lost all chance at the start.

A fast 5f on quick ground looks just what he needs and with the stable in good form at present (4-16, 25% over the last 14 days), this six-year-old gelding should take plenty of catching off the front end under regular rider Kieran O'Neill.

Selection: Live In The Moment – General 2/1

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