Andrew Asquith returns with two selections at Haydock on Saturday in his latest ante-post column.
Weekend View: Saturday November 22
1pt win Andashan in Betfair Racing Podcasts Handicap Hurdle at Haydock at 8/1 (Sky Bet, Paddy Power, Betfair)
1pt e.w. Hartington in Betfair Stayers' Handicap Hurdle at Haydock at 12/1 (General 1/4 1,2,3,4)
The Betfair Chase is the feature race at Haydock this weekend and Grey Dawning will bid to go one place better than 12 months ago in ground which should be more in his favour. Likely conditions are unlikely to suit Royale Pagaille as much in his bid for a third straight win of the Grade 1, however, while Haiti Couleurs adds extra spice having progressed out of all recognition last season and he confirmed he's in excellent heart by winning over hurdles on his return.
The handicaps look more appealing to me from a betting perspective, however, and the Betfair Racing Podcasts Handicap Hurdle is where I’m going to start.
Kabral du Mathan is taking a big chunk out of the market ahead of his first start for Dan Skelton and, while he’s a most intriguing runner, 2/1 does look on the skinny given he was beaten off similar marks on his last two starts for Paul Nicholls.
The Chris Gordon-trained ANDASHAN is the horse that interests me most. He had some solid form in bumpers, the form of his debut win working out well, and he took his form up a notch when finishing third to Regent’s Stroll in a better race afterwards.
He was all the rage in the betting for his hurdling debut last season, but he unseated his rider at the first. That was an inauspicious start, but he got better as the campaign went on, running out a most impressive winner at Kempton where he bounded 18 lengths clear of the runner-up, producing an excellent timefigure for the grade in the process.
That performance entitled him to have a crack at the Dovecote over the same course and distance, but he was unable to build on his previous effort, proving too keen and just unable to dominate in the same fashion upped in grade.
Andashan was well found in the market for his return and handicap debut at Newbury recently and he was far from disgraced finishing third. However, he left the impression he’s in need of further than two miles now, losing his position down the back straight, but sticking to his task well, closing down the second on the run-in.
That run should have done him the world of good – he appeared to be carrying condition – and this mark shouldn’t prove beyond him under the right circumstances. He now gets the opportunity to showcase his talents over further than two miles and the extra emphasis on stamina is sure to help unlock further improvement.
Joe Tizzard is absolutely flying at present, operating at a 29% strike rate in November, and saddling three winners from three runners at Cheltenham’s November meeting last week. They included an impressive performance from the very progressive Alexei in the Greatwood Hurdle, and I think he can have further success in the Betfair Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle at Haydock this weekend.
HARTINGTON was gradually progressive last season, seemingly being brought along with handicaps in mind, but as it turned out, he had the ability to open his account in a novices’ hurdle over two miles at Newbury.
He improved further when narrowly denied by Honky Tonk Highway in a listed event at Sandown next time, though his jumping wasn’t as assured on that occasion, making some novicey mistakes, but that form worked out well with the winner beaten a nose by the promising Derryhassen Paddy at Windsor on his next start.
As expected, Hartington appreciated the return to two and a half miles making his handicap debut at Windsor in January, but he just found one with too much speed too good back on a sounder surface. That form also was boosted by the winner, though, when he followed up from a mark if 124.
The race he made a winning return in at Carlisle earlier this month is one to be positive about, too, in my opinion. That was run at a fair gallop in the conditions, and it was Hartington’s stamina which shone through late in the day, coming home with a powerful run having travelled well throughout to be Florida Dreams by a neck, while the third that day, Siog Geal, is a horse who is on my radar this season.
Conditions don’t look like they’ll be as testing at Haydock this weekend, though there is some rain around over the next couple of days, and the more the merrier for him. This will be first time he’ll back tackling three miles, though, and that can be a catalyst for another chunk of improvement, contrary to his relatively speedy pedigree.
He has only been hit with a 3lb rise for his most recent success, which seems lenient to me, considering his back form and unexposed profile. Hartington dips his toe into deeper waters now, but he’s a horse who has a fair bit more to give.
Preview posted at 1530 GMT on 18/11/2025
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