Andrew Asquith steps in for Matt Brocklebank this weekend and has two fancies at Leicester and Haydock on Saturday.
Value Bet: Saturday April 25
1pt win Russet Gold in the 14:05 Leicester at 20/1 (bet365, Sky Bet, Paddy Power, Betfair)
1pt win Great Acclaim in the 14:35 Haydock at 8/1 (General)
Already advised in Weekend View:
1pt e.w. Cosmic Connection in Novices' Championship Final at Sandown at 12/1 (William Hill, 10/1 General 1/4 1,2,3,4)
1pt win In d'Or in the Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Aintree at 11/2 (bet365, 5/1 General)
Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair Sportsbook Betfair Sportsbook
I already hold positions in two of the Sandown races in the shape of Cosmic Connection in the bet365 Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle and In d’Or in the bet365 Gold Cup Handicap Chase, and I don’t like the shape of the other ITV televised races on that card, so I’m going to focus on the two Flat handicaps at Haydock and Leicester.
The Cafferys Black Stout King Richard III Cup Handicap at the latter track looks decidedly open, most towards the head of the market much of a muchness, so I’m willing to take a chance on one at a big price.
The horse in question is RUSSET GOLD, who is on a lengthy losing run, his last win coming all the way back in 2023 from a BHA mark of 85, but he has plenty of pieces of form in the time since which make him of interest.
He finished runner-up in a Shergar Cup handicap from a mark of 90 later that year, while in 2024 he produced some of his best performances, notably when beaten half a length by now smart sprinter Quinault in a listed event at Newmarket and when just over a length behind the admirable Apollo One in the Group 3 Bengough Stakes over seven furlongs at Ascot.
Russet Gold didn’t reach such heights last season, but he ran creditably in some competitive handicaps and in listed company, often travelling well but not finding as much as looked likely.
The angle with him is he has undergone a breathing operation since last seen, a procedure that will hopefully enable him to see out his races much better this season, and he’s made the switch to Kevin Ryan. He’s a trainer among the winners at present, and has a healthy £1 level-stakes profit of £31.62 at Betfair SP with sprinters having their first run for the yard following a switch.
Furthermore, Ryan’s stats with horses having there first start following a breathing operation aren’t too shabby, either, a 17.92% strike rate on the whole with the percentage of rivals beaten at 55.03%. However, when filtering it down to sprinters only, his strike rate rises to 23.53%, with a £1 level-stakes profit of £23.50 to Betfair SP.
Russet Gold has gone well when fresh in the past and he strikes as the type of horse to me that will be liberated by a change of scenery. Low draws predominantly fare well on the straight course at Leicester, while the ground should be no problem, either. I’m hoping a new routine, along with the tweaking of his wind allows him to show his true potential. If so, a mark of 91 is pretty attractive.
The William Hill Epic Boosts Handicap at Haydock looks a tricky puzzle to solve. It is easy to see why Cosi Bello has been installed favourite, given he’s the least exposed in the field, and his form in a couple of turf handicaps last summer reads well.
If you ignore Sarab Star’s latest run which came over an inadequate six furlongs at Newcastle on Finals Day, he’s another upwardly-mobile sort who I’m sure has more to offer back on turf following a fruitful all-weather campaign, while Khafiz is the subject of a trainer change and anything Ed Bethell gets his hands on these days is always well found in the market.
None of those really get the pulse racing at the prices, however, and at more or less double the odds of those, I’m hoping the strength of GREAT ACCLAIM’s form in handicaps last season can come to the fore.
He made excellent strides after being fitted with blinkers last summer, proving better than ever when landing a handicap at Glorious Goodwood which has typically worked out well, and he recorded another narrow success when turned out under a 5lb penalty in a useful contest at Chepstow eight days later.
Great Acclaim was up to a career-high mark of 96 afterwards and he succumbed to the late challenge of Darkness back at Goodwood not long after, though he does meet that rival on 4lb better terms now, and his in-the-frame efforts in highly-competitive handicaps at Ascot not long after also read well.
Great Acclaim had beaten a certain Native Warrior at Goodwood, though he was arguably better placed and in receipt of 6lb on that occasion, and when the two met on revised terms back at Ascot in September and October, it was the latter who came out on top both times. Native Warrior progressed markedly so for the fitting of a visor last summer, however, and has a current Timeform rating of 120 (very smart), so the form has a real solid look, especially as Ascot probably isn’t an ideal track for Great Acclaim’s run style.
I’m prepared to put a line through his sub-par run in the Balmoral given that came at the end of a busy summer, and I thought there was enough encouragement in his recent return in the Lincoln at Doncaster to make him of interest in a race like this.
Great Acclaim travelled well in a prominent position for a long way before the lack of a recent outing and step back up to a mile seemingly told over a furlong out. He wasn’t given a hard time afterwards and seems sure to take a step forward now, while more importantly, he’s now back at seven furlongs and has the blinkers refitted.
Given the positive effect the headgear had on him last year (form figures in blinkers: 11224) you’d like to think they’ll provide an extra pep in his step, and back on a turning track, especially one where it can pay to race prominently, particularly in likely fast ground, will also be in his favour. The handicapper has dropped him 2lb to a mark of 98 and the pick of his form entitles him to be very competitive.
Preview posted at 16:00BST on 24/04/2026
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