The Verdict: Saturday November 22
1pt win The Four Sixes in 1.15 Haydock at 6/1 (Paddy Power, 11/2 General)
1pt win Knappers Hill in 1.50 Haydock at 9/1 (General)
1pt win Navajo Indy in 2.25 Haydock at 9/1 (William Hill, 17/2 BetMGM)
1pt win JPR One in 3.15 Ascot at 6/1 (bet365, 11/2 William Hill)
Can’t keep Bowen out of the headlines
Dan Skelton is firing winners in everywhere you look and it’s D-Day for his Grey Dawning in the Grade 1 Betfair Chase at Haydock on Saturday.
The eight-year-old will be primed for an assignment he traded at 1.06 in-running for 12 months ago before a final fence error opened the door for course specialist Royale Pagaille who needed no second invitation.
Both are back for more here and while conditions aren’t likely to be testing enough for Venetia Williams’ veteran slogger, there is a band of rain due on Saturday morning with 6mm a popular estimation amongst the forecasters.
The more of a stamina test the better for Rebecca Curtis’ Haiti Couleurs and he looks the clear main danger to Grey Dawning after a highly likeable victory over hurdles at Newbury last time.
Odds of 7/2 are tempting enough with the on-fire Sean Bowen in the plate, but it’s not hard to envisage Grey Dawning having too many gears for these if things go smoothly so the feature is omitted from Saturday’s staking plan.
Bowen is motoring along in the jockeys’ championship and he has another good book of rides at Haydock, with Olly Murphy’s THE FOUR SIXES worth backing in the Betfair Racing Podcasts Handicap Hurdle over 2m3f at 1.15.
Kabral Du Mathan is the hot favourite here, now with Skelton after being at Paul Nicholls’ last season, but he looks short enough after eight months off on his first start since wind surgery.
The Four Sixes could be the one to capitalise if he’s not up to the task as he looked on good terms with himself in a two-runner chase at Wetherby on October 31.
That was his first completed chase and you could see why, as he jumped his fences like hurdles resulting in a few hairy moments for Bowen who kept the partnership intact after some low and quick fencing.
It’s no real surprise he reverts to hurdles here and he’s a dangerous rival when he is able to dominate from the front end as could be the case in this field.
A flat left-handed track like Haydock could be perfect for him judging by his record and while more is required off top weight and a mark of 144 Murphy has picked the perfect race for him.
The Verdict: Back THE FOUR SIXES in the 1.25 Haydock
Indy to rock and roll in Stayers’
The best betting race at Haydock is the Betfair Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle over three miles and a bit, with many in with chances.
NAVAJO INDY appeals the most even after a few nibbles at him on Friday afternoon as he looks well handicapped and the extra distance could bring out more improvement in him.
Tom Symonds’ six-year-old has improved for experience racing over two miles, winning the Gerry Feilden and finishing third in the William Hill Hurdle at Newbury last season, but he looked better again over 2m4f at Cheltenham on his reappearance.
Second to the upwardly-mobile French Ship, Navajo Indy raced prominently and stayed on again when outpaced by the winner, giving every indication he’ll get three miles.
A straightforward horse who relaxes well, he’ll likely give himself every chance of seeing out the extra half mile and his proven speed for shorter distances can be a potent weapon against the more stoutly-bred stayers at a track like this.
The Symonds yard is flying and Gavin Sheehan is mustard around here, while a mark of 132 looks far from the ceiling for Navajo Indy judging by his current trajectory.
The Verdict: Back NAVAJO INDY in the 2.25 Haydock
Knap hand for Nicholls
Betfair Chase day used to be a big one for Paul Nicholls but while he doesn’t have a runner in the feature race he does have KNAPPERS HILL in the Betfair Exchange Graduation Chase over 2m5f.
The Jukebox Man will be all the rage but he’s coming back from his own setback while Iroko and Butch might well be better for their runs after both receiving wind ops in the post-season.
That all makes me think the odds about Knappers Hill defying a 742-day absence are on the big side, as he was just as exciting a chasing prospect as any of these when he was last seen after a terrific display of jumping at Wincanton in their Grade 2 Rising Stars Novice Chase.
Nicholls is understandably cautious about his return after such a long time off, but he is perfectly capable of readying one at home and he has a great record bringing lightly-raced chasers back off an absence.
Looking at his chasers that had just one or two fencing starts before at least a year off the track, he is 12 wins from 30 at 40% so he clearly has the patience and skill to pull this off.
Admittedly, The Jukebox Man might just be too good, but I have Knappers Hill down as his main danger and Ben Pauling’s horse could be rusty himself after his own absence of 11 months.
The Verdict: Back KNAPPERS HILL in 1.50 Haydock
One love at Ascot
Finally, the better ground at Ascot can help JPR ONE back into the winners’ enclosure for the in-form Joe Tizzard team in the Castello Banfi Hurst Park Handicap Chase over 2m1f.
The eight-year-old was well-fancied for the Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter as he aimed to uphold an excellent first-time back record, but he was found out by two race-fit horses as the ground turned soft.
At least the handicapper dropped him a couple of pounds on the back of that and he’s looking dangerously well-treated off 151 here – just 2lb higher than the mark he ran off when defeating Djelo at Exeter 12 months ago.
This race looks ideal for him with the likes of Calico and Sans Bruit likely to tow him into the contest and with first-time cheekpieces looking a good idea for him he can stamp his class on this field.
The Verdict: Back JPR ONE in the 3.15 Ascot
Preview posted at 1505 GMT on 21/11/25
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