Haydock Saturday preview and tips

KAMSINAS (12.05 Haydock)

Lucinda Russell was the only trainer to make multiple entries for a race she won with 25/1 rag Thorpe in 2014. From her five contenders, Scotland’s leading handler this time relies on Primoz, a £150,000 buy from the Irish point-to-point scene and fluent winner on his hurdles debut at Ayr three weeks ago.

He is an exciting prospect, particularly when sent over fences given his size and stature, although he’s already shown himself a fair bit better than your average novice hurdler. It’s surely a pointer that Russell is turning to this Westerner gelding here over her other more experienced entrants.

Derek Fox made the most of an uncontested lead at Ayr, dictating his own steady fractions, and I loved the way he quickened up from the last to shoot further clear by the line. Yet there’s little doubt Primoz found himself in the best position out in front given the way that race unfolded (nearly six seconds slower than the other division), an impression backed up by a final-furlong finishing split of more than 115%.

He probably would have won anyway, but I think he needs to make a bigger jump forward than the figures suggest if he’s to reach the level already achieved by KAMSINAS. A smooth winner on his Worcester debut, Fergal O’Brien’s charge upped his game a notch when chasing home Lookaway in a Grade 2 at Cheltenham a month ago. I’d be inclined to mark up Kamsinas’ performance, too, as he was done no favours by some scrimmaging on the run to the second-last and got shuffled back.

That looked a deeper contest on paper, with all eight runners going into that on the back of a win, and the form has since been franked by Lookaway’s excellent second in the Greatwood off a mark of 132. I’m still taking a positive view of the form despite the third, Idy Wood, being chinned at 1/6 on heavy ground at Hexham in midweek, as that was that horse’s first experience of tackling anything slower than good.

I suspect this race has long been a target for Noel Fehily’s owners syndicate after they scooped it 12 months ago with the Paul Nicholls-trained Tahmuras, who went on to land the Grade 1 Tolworth on his next start. While I’m not sure Kamsinas is up to that level, his Timeform rating of 147p puts him 6lb clear of this field, but with the prospect of further progress on the cards. If that’s the case, Primoz and Bowenspark - a useful performer in bumpers and wide-margin Stratford winner for Henry Daly earlier this month - will need to take a fair leap forward from their debut efforts to beat him.

The Inside Word: “I thought Kamsinas was an unlucky loser at Cheltenham, but the form has been franked by Lookaway. This looks another tough race. Lucinda has a nice horse in here, as does Henry Daly, but we love our fella. Does he have the speed for two miles around a track like Haydock? We’ll find out on Saturday! Plenty of these like to go forward, so hopefully there’ll be plenty of pace on as that would suit us.” - Fergal O’Brien, trainer

CHEDDLETON (12.40 Haydock)

Timeform’s forecast of CHEDDLETON benefitting from an uncontested lead furthers confidence that he can end a near-three-year absence from the winners’ enclosure. That last victory came here, in a novices’ chase over this same track and trip in December 2020, but it’s fair to say Jennie Candlish’s chaser hasn’t enjoyed the best of fortune in the 35 months since then.

For starters, he’s run only nine times. In that time, he’s had three spells on the sidelines of 266, 259 and 313 days. Yet he’s still only eight. And on those occasions when Cheddleton has made it to the track, he’s shown there’s still plenty of grunt under the bonnet.

Like in the 2m3f handicap hurdle on this card 12 months ago, when he was third (beaten only four lengths) by Stainsby Girl and subsequent Morebattle winner Benson, both of whom ended the season rated 14lb higher. And like when manfully trying to concede 4lb to Malystic in Wetherby’s Castleford Chase last Christmas and going down all guns blazing despite finishing lame.

There was loads to like about his return to action over hurdles at Carlisle three weeks ago, when he jumped nimbly and showed plenty of verve until tiring badly between the final two flights. The run was probably needed following 10 months off. It was also a well-run affair over a trip, two-and-a-half miles, which stretches him.

All five of Cheddleton’s wins (in a bumper, two over hurdles and two over fences) have come at today’s distance of two miles. Provided he doesn’t ‘bounce’, Sean Quinlan’s mount could take some catching here.

The Inside Word: “The two-miler looked the easier option after we saw all those Grade 1 horses going for the graduation chase later on the card, which he was also entered for. It was a lovely comeback run over hurdles, where he just got tired over two-and-a-half on a track like Carlisle. Dropping back to two won’t be a problem, as he’s a strong traveller with a great cruising speed. His jumping is his main asset, though, so we’ll be going forward and I’ll try to just keep filling him up. He wants it as heavy as you can get it, which it doesn’t look like being, but on the plus side he’s got good course form. ” - Sean Quinlan, jockey

CARNFUNNOCK (1.15 Haydock)

Stuart Crawford brought Dorking Cock back from a 220-day lay-off to win at the inaugural Navan Racing Festival last weekend. Then again, pretty much everything the trainer sent south to Co Meath from his base only a stone’s throw from the ferry terminus in Larne ran with great credit.

That included Ballycoose (returning from 581 days off), Mongibello (274), Poppy Rose, (240) and The Flier Begley (173), who all hit the frame. And depending on the each-way terms offered by your turf accountant of choice, Maimee’s Magic (207) and Largy Shark (224), too.

Evidently, then, the Crawford siblings of Stuart, Steven, Ben and Ross have their string in fine fettle just now and ready to rumble on their firsts starts of the season, something which can only be a positive for the yard’s two runners in the Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Handicap Hurdle.

Park Annonciade has come in for support on the back of two wins - at Perth in August and Ayr earlier this month - from his last three starts. He’s crept in here at the foot of the weights under Ben Bromley, who should still be able to claim his full 5lb. But it’s CARNFUNNOCK, returning from a 213-day absence under double green No1 Daryl Jacob, who interests me here on just his third start in a handicap.

His first, over two miles at Naas in February, made a man of him. While his jumping there was sketchy to say the least, he was slicker (albeit not yet foot perfect) when rallying tenaciously to get up late to chin Lucky Max and Cash Back upped to this trip a fortnight later. That was a race where those who occupied a prominent pitch were at an advantage, so Carnfunnock’s performance in being the only runner to get involved from further back could be marked up.

He’s been off since finishing third to Giovinco in a Listed novice at Perth in April, where I’m not sure the nature and tempo of that three-miler played to his strengths. However, the return to the trip he won over at Naas back in a handicap looks a plus and, given the form of Crawford’s runners first time out, he shouldn’t be found wanting for fitness here off what appears an exploitable mark of 128.

The Inside Word: “I love this horse, I think Carnfunnock will hopefully do me proud this year. I suspect he's going to be an even better chaser than hurdler but I hope he can win a nice race or two over hurdles before then. I sat on him at home last week and he's in really good form with himself. I think he’s still a little bit ahead of the handicapper, so he goes there with a live chance back down to two-and-a-half miles.” - Daryl Jacob, jockey and Sporting Life columnist

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