Haydock

It’s great that Betway are sponsoring yet another fixture and the Betway Challenger Series Finals Meeting is a really competitive card. I like this Challenger Series, it’s a good way that horses who may not be at the level to compete at a major festival have an opportunity to have their big day

Emmpressive Lady  has done nothing but improve this season and, although she was beaten over 3m at Kempton recently, won’t mind coming back down in trip here (13:00). Her Sandown victory over 2m4f was impressive and I think she could still be improving. Young Jack Foley takes the ride and he’s been in grand form of late.

Demi Sang  is really starting to look well-handicapped. He’s run well in defeat this season and you’d have to think that this could have been the major target all along (13:30). Once upon a time, he was trained by Willie Mullins and was very highly tried, so the natural ability is there.

Vison Du Puy  looks the ideal type for this race (14:05) and might be able to give Harry Skelton another winner in his bid for the Jockey’s title. He’s lightly raced but was a good winner at Stratford last time and this isn’t the deepest contest.

Crossley Tender  has been a real model of consistency this season. He’s just improved no end - he was rated 103 in October and is now rated 130. It’s a credit to Paul Henderson and his team. He’s run well at Newcastle and Ascot on his last two starts, you know he stays all day and you need that at Haydock (14:40).

It seems than Nicky Henderson’s horses are starting to find their form again. He runs Colonial Dreams  who has a good third in a hot race at Newbury last time. He could improve again and be in the thick of things (15:15), as could Silent Assistant  who looks like he needs this 3m trip now.

Northern Beau  has been running well without winning this season, but this looks an ideal opportunity for her (15:50). I remember when she won at Cheltenham in December 2019. She went from the front that day and was difficult to catch. The same thing could happen.

It’s a tough-looking puzzle to solve the Veteran’s Chase (16:25) but Arthur’s Gift  is looking well handicapped off his mark of 120. He’s obviously not as good as he once was, but he showed up well for a long way at Cheltenham earlier in the season and I think he’ll run well if he’s in that mood.

Fairyhouse

Jury Duty  should take all of the beating in the Hunters Chase (13:45). He needed the line badly on his last start, but will be a little fresher after bypassing Cheltenham. It’s worth remembering how good this horse used to be, but he’s a little older now.

Elimay  should have won at Cheltenham and ought to be making amends here (14:20). She’s got nothing like Colreevy to beat here and I think it should be a formality. She’s very good on her day.

Ross [O'Sullivan] runs Call It Magic  in the Ladies National Handicap Chase (14.55), who seems in grand old form at home. He was fourth on his last run in a banks race at Punchestown and will probably go back there next time. This is a wide-open race and he might have a chance of getting placed if he puts it all together. Like all of us, he’s not getting much younger.

On Eagles Wings  was a good winner at Naas last time and, although he’s got to concede weight all around in the 15:30, he’s a smart horse who has a good rider on his back who takes off 7lb. He’s done nothing but improve this season.

Uradel  can’t be the easiest to train. He’s 10 and hasn’t had that many career starts, but he’s a talented horse which is why they’d have kept him going all this time. He was OK on his comeback run at Leopardstown in a really hot race and that would be have brought him on plenty.

Aubrey McMahon is a good young rider and he’ll be value for his 7lb claim (16:05).

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