17:00 Haydock

Saturday 8 July 2023

All13:3014:0514:4015:1515:5016:2517:00

Best Odds Guaranteed At bet365.com Handicap

Off time: 17:11 | Winning time: 1m 30.07s

(8)

Catch The Paddy²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-10| J: K Stott| T: K A Ryan| OR: 91

5/1

Nursery winner last July. Not up to the task in the Gimcrack on final 2-y-o start but back on the up when close second of 14 in 7f York handicap on reappearance. Ran poorly back down in trip there since, though. Bounce back called for.

Form: 2118-20

(1)

Hectic⁴²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: S M Levey| T: R Hannon| OR: 90

14/1

Back on the up when close second on 7f Newbury reappearance. Seemed stretched by 1m at Newmarket next time but ran poorly back at this trip at Goodwood on most recent outing. Blinkers on for 1st time and needs to get back on track.

Form: 168-260

(9)

Johnny James²⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: Frederick Larson⁽³⁾| T: M Appleby| OR: 87

13/2

Backed at long odds when making a winning start in a 6f Catterick maiden in early June and barely needed to follow up under a penalty at Southwell just 11 days later. Gelded since and will find life tougher now handicapping up in trip for all that he's clearly made a promising start.

Form: 11

(6)

Bussento²¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: Charles Bishop| T: Eve Johnson Houghton| OR: 85| BF

7/2

Remains a maiden but he ran his best race when second of 8 in 7f Sandown handicap 3 weeks ago, albeit aided by a good position. Should remain competitive.

Form: 32-3742

(7)

Nails Murphy¹⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: P Cosgrave| T: R Hughes| OR: 83| D

9/2

Saw off a couple of subsequent winners on debut at Chelmsford in November. Too free at Kempton 2 months later but improved following a gelding operation/6-month break when second in 6-runner handicap at Goodwood (1m) 15 days ago, despite again racing freely. Has to enter calculations.

Form: 1-32

(2)

Man Of Eden^b⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Harry Davies⁽³⁾| T: H & R Charlton| OR: 83

5/1

Irish import who landed the odds on debut for this yard in a Newcastle maiden (1m) in January and has been shaping up well in handicaps of late, coming from much further back than the pair he split in first-time blinkers at Newmarket (1m) last week. Remains of firm interest.

Form: 162442

(4)

Bajan Bandit²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-13| J: S H James| T: Grant Tuer| OR: 80| CD

14/1

Made a winning debut in 7f Salisbury maiden last July for Richard Hannon. Changed hands for 20,000gns (also gelded) and quickly put behind an underwhelming stable debut/reappearance when making all in 10-runner handicap here (7f) 24 days ago, finding extra to assert final 100 yds. Up 4 lb.

Form: 144-81

(3)

Lady Mojito¹⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: O J Orr| T: R A Fahey| OR: 79| D

25/1

Confirmed debut promise when wide-margin winner of 7f Redcar novice in early October, seen to good advantage on the far rail. However, hinted at temperament returning from 9 months off when down the field at Thirsk, so has a bit to prove now going handicapping.

Form: 31-8

(5)

Prairie Falcon⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: David Probert| T: M Dods| OR: 78| D

8/1

Won twice in nursery company last year and ran his best race on the back of a gelding operation when beaten only by an unexposed rival in 9-runner handicap at Doncaster (7f) last week. Big player from only 1 lb higher.

Form: 19-4402

(10)

River Usk⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-8| J: David Egan| T: R A Fahey| OR: 75| D

20/1

Built on a good reappearance run at Catterick when off the mark in 7.5f Beverley handicap in May. Up 8 lb and readily brushed aside at York but wasted no time getting back to form when fourth at Chester (7.6f) last week, running on. Player.

Form: 23-2104

Non-Runners

(11)

American Affair²⁴

Weight: 8-4| Age: 3

T: J S Goldie J: William Pyle

Forecasts

Bussento (7/2), Nails Murphy (9/2), Man Of Eden (5/1), Catch The Paddy (5/1), Johnny James (13/2), Prairie Falcon (8/1), Bajan Bandit (14/1), Hectic (14/1), River Usk (20/1), American Affair (20/1), Lady Mojito (25/1)

MAN OF EDEN came from much further back than the pair he split at Newmarket last week and is still relatively lightly raced in handicaps, especially at this trip, so he's well worth another chance to confirm his recent promise. Prairie Falcon found only an improver too strong at Doncaster on his most recent outing, so must enter calculations, along with Nails Murphy, who improved after a break/gelding operation at Goodwood.