Horse Power: Grey Dawning can win the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park

Horse Power: Grey Dawning can win the Betfair Chase at Haydock Park

Dan Skelton's seven-year-old can land the Grade One feature on Merseyside, while Josh The Boss, Iroko, Home Free, Doyen Quest, Roadlesstravelled, Take Your Time, Martator, Pic D'Orhy, Blue D'oroux, Dom Of Mary, Gold For Alec and Queens Venture can be Saturday scorers

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GREY DAWNING can win the Betfair Chase (Registered As The Lancashire Chase) (GBB Race) (3.05pm) at Haydock Park on Saturday afternoon.

Dan Skelton’s rising seven-year-old can take the next step up the chasing ladder with victory in the Grade One feature at the Merseyside track. Grey Dawning was a Grade Two winner over hurdles and took the switch to bigger obstacles in his stride, winning three times in six starts last season, including on this day at Haydock last year. The highlight of his successes, though, was his victory over 2m4f in the Grade One Turners’ Novice Chase at the Cheltenham Festival when the gelded son of Flemensfirth got the better of his Paul Nicholls-trained rival Ginny’s Destiny, scoring by two lengths.

Grey Dawning couldn’t bring up the Grade One double in the Close Brothers Manifesto Novices’ Chase at the Randox Grand National Festival the following month at Aintree Racecourse. He was third, well beaten, by Willie Mullins’ impressive winner Il Etait Temps and Ginny’s Destiny. But that was at the end of a long season and after a break he can resume winning ways and book his ticket to a possible crack at the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day and further on the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup back at Prestbury Park in March.

Having won over three miles twice last season, Grey Dawning has always looked like he would be a top-class staying chaser. He has missed a couple of engagement to start his season at Carlisle and Wetherby due to unsuitable ground. But with rain and snow falling this week, conditions should be ideal for him to show he can be a factor in the top staying chase this season.

Last year’s winner Royale Pagaille has a fine record at Haydock and should be in the shake-up again; while Lucinda Russell’s Ahoy Senor – third in the Old Roan Chase at Aintree on his seasonal return last month – and the Nicholls-trained Bravemansgame are both likely to run well. But Grey Dawning has the most potential in the field and should be able to live up to that with victory.

It could be another good afternoon for the Skeltons and DOYEN QUEST can come out on top of the stable’s three entries in the Betfair Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (2.30pm). Gwennie May Boy who was a winner at Aintree’s Grand National meeting on her final start of last season, recent Newton Abbot scorer Catch Him Derry and Doyen Quest – to be ridden by Harry Skelton – all have chances of giving the Warwickshire handler victory. But it is the latter who looks the most likely winner judged on his fine victory at Cheltenham last week. The six-year-old has four wins of eight starts over obstacles and although he is on a career-high mark he still looks to be progressing and can score again.

Skelton may also win the Bet At Your Best With Betfair Handicap Chase (12.40pm) with HOME FREE. The six-year-old gelded son of Soldier Of Fortune has taken to chasing well and has won two of his three starts over the bigger obstacles. He can bring up a hat-trick of successes at Haydock following wins at Uttoxeter in the summer and Ayr last month.

Nigel Twiston-Davies’ stable remains in good form and JOSH THE BOSS can provide the Naunton handler with another win in the Betfair Racing Podcasts Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (1.15pm). Owned by Scouser John Neild and ridden by his son Jamie, the five-year-old has already given them a ‘home’ win on Merseyside, when scoring at Aintree at this time last year. Things didn’t go to plan for Josh The Boss for the rest of the season, but he returned with a fine victory over 2m4f at Chepstow last month. He was prominent for much of the way there and dropped back down in trip slightly to 2m3f, Josh The Boss may be able to back that win up with another at Haydock.

The Jonjo and AJ O’Neill stable is another doing well this season and they can win the Grade Two Betfair Supports Safer Gambling Week Newton Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (12.08pm) with ROADLESSTRAVELLED. A winner of a point-to-point in Ireland last May, the five-year-old has won both starts at Market Rasen and Wetherby over the past two months since switching to the O’Neills’ Jackdaw Castle stable. He can continue that progress and bring up the hat-trick.

IROKO – from the Malpas stable of Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero – can make a winning return to action in the Betfair Exchange Graduation Chase (GBB Race) (1.50pm). The six-year-old – owned by JP McManus – won on his chasing debut at this time last year at Warwick. Then he was fifth behind Grey Dawning at the Cheltenham Festival and second to another McManus-owned novice, Gavin Cromwell’s Inothewayurthinkin, in the Grade One Mildmay Novices’ Chase at Aintree the following month. Dropped back down in grade he can return to winning ways before potentially going on to bigger and better things.

Ditcheat handler Nicholls can take the finale at Haydock, the Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (3.40pm), with the returning TAKE YOUR TIME, who should relish the rain which is forecast to hit the Merseyside track during the day.

At Ascot Nicholls’ star PIC D'ORHY can also make a winning return to action in the Grade Two CopyBet 1965 Chase (GBB Race) (1.30pm). The nine-year-old won this race last year and has three victories at Ascot as well as Grade One glory at Aintree in the Betfair Ascot Chase in February. He should be too good for his four rivals and can win again in Berkshire.

Nicholls may double up with another course and distance winner BLUEKING D’OROUX in the Grade Two Howden Ascot Hurdle (Registered As The Ascot Hurdle Race) (GBB Race) (2.45pm).

Venetia Williams’ MARTATOR is another who goes well at Ascot and can make it five wins in a row in the Lay & Wheeler Hurst Park Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (3.20pm). The seven-year-old has won on both trips to Ascot in March and on his most recent start earlier this month. Martator is in such good form he can take the rise in the handicap in his stride to score again.

Others who can win at Ascot arethe David Bridgwater-trained DOM OF MARY – who has had wind surgery since his last run – in the 1st Class Logistics Berkshire National Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (2.05pm); Nicky Henderson’s EXCELLO in the Restorations UK Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (12.25pm); and COPSHILL LAD, from the Harry Derham stable, in the finale, the CopyBet Novices’ Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (3.50pm).

At Huntingdon the Tom Symonds-trained GOLD FOR ALEC can win the Blog.Rhino.Bet For Unique Racing Insight Handicap Hurdle (2.38pm) and Pam Sly’s course and distance scorer WILLIAM CODY can triumph again in the Follow Rhino.Bet On Instagram Handicap Chase (3.15pm).

Wright Ones

HAYDOCK PARK

12.08pm Roadlesstravelled
12.40pm Home Free
1.15pm Josh The Boss
1.50pm Iroko
2.30pm Doyen Quest
3.05pm Grey Dawning (NAP)
3.40pm Take Your Time

ASCOT

12.25pm Excello
12.55pm Queens Venture
1.30pm Pic D’Orhy
2.05pm Dom Of Mary
2.45pm Blueking D’oroux
3.20pm Martator
3.50pm Copshill Lad

HUNTINGDON

12.15pm Saladins Son
12.48pm Redbridge Rosie
1.23pm L’astronome
1.58pm Lilting Verse
2.38pm Gold For Alec
3.15pm William Cody
3.45pm Whatyouwaitingfor

NEWCASTLE

3.33pm Rainwater
4.10pm Orbaan
4.40pm So Darn Hot
5.10pm Cemlyn
5.40pm Amelia’s Joy
6.10pm Bosphorus Rose
6.40pm Stella Hogan
7.10pm Brazilian Rose
7.40pm Barnaby

WOLVERHAMPTON

4.25pm Nights Over Egypt
4.55pm Havana Touch
5.25pm Dark Lyric
5.55pm Zoulu Warrior
6.25pm Flaine
6.55pm Blue Prince
7.25pm Night On Earth
7.55pm Two Auld Pals
8.25pm Glen Buck

SUNDAY'S NAP: Fact To File(Punchestown 2.25pm)

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