Baron Windrush - ground too lively (Getty Images).

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I rode Baron Windrush in the Red Square Vodka Gold Cup at Haydock on Saturday but the ground had dried out a little too much for him.

It was good ground for me and my horse had gone up ten pounds since his Warwick win and the combination of that and the livelier surface were just too much for him.

I was pleased with how he jumped though, it was probably the best round he has ever produced, and he used himself very well. If connections decided to go down the Grand National route I wouldn't be against it.

I was very impressed with the winner Forest Gunner at Haydock and he also caught my eye when winning over the Aintree fences back in November. They have to go for the big one with him now and and he must be a leading fancy.

Saturday's race rode like a good trial, Forest Gunner was always up there and they went a good gallop. He maintained his effort all the way to the line and it was a very impressive performance.

On the same card Akilak won the juvenile hurdle but I was a little surprised to see he remained as Triumph Hurdle favourite afterwards.

My horse Karelian finished second and he is a good sort but I expected to see Akilak's price lengthen after his length-and-a-half win. For a moment I thought he was going to come past and win easily but it didn't happen.

It wasn't a strongly-run race, myself and Timmy Murphy went reasonably slow up front, but for me the form of the Cheltenham race Akilak won first time out may be a little suspect.

They went very fast that day and stopped and he came through to win. It may have looked more impressive than it actually was. I won't have the ground as an excuse on Saturday. It was good ground - with the odd good to soft patch.

The Howard Johnson team also won with Mephisto in the opener and he did it well.

I just wonder whehter he had as much left as Timmy (Murphy) made on. If he let him down I doubt he would have found as much as looked likely.

They went quite steady in the race at Haydock, it was the opener on the afternoon and everyone felt the ground was softer than it was. They kept quickening from the turn in which is why they looked to finish quite tired.

I rode Petite Margot in the Pertemps Qualifier won by The Bajan Bandit and was impressed by the winner.

The blinkers helped him a great deal, as Tony Dobbin felt they would beforehand, and he travelled really well throughout the race.

Petitie Margo needs a stiffer test of stamina and if the ground was softer she would have run a better race. The drying surface meant they were always going too quickly for her.

Inglis Drever won the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton and it was a good-enough performance given I feel he needs further than two miles and a left-handed track.

He didn't like Wincanton but for me Rooster Booster is the main British hope for the Champion Hurdle. Inglis Drever won't be seen at his best until he goes over furher again.