Haydock Racing Betting Tips
We had some brilliant Classic action at the Curragh last weekend and Epsom’s Derby and Oaks take centre stage next week. Although not quite at the same level, this weekend’s action is thoroughly competitive and is well worth looking forward to.
Haydock hosts a seven-race card on Saturday and the highlights are a couple of Group 3 races, which take place at 14:58 and 15:33. Our expert has taken a close look at the card and picked out their strongest fancy in every race.
13:13 - Handicap
It often pays to side with unexposed and lightly raced sorts with scope for further improvement and the John & Thady Gosden-trained SHADER fits that profile perfectly. The only negative here is a substantial lay off, as he won a couple of Kempton novices in the style of a very smart horse last season and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he was to make a mockery of his handicap mark as he could be a Group horse in a handicap.
Selection: Shader
13:48 - Reverence Handicap
Hamad Al Jehani has had three winners from his five runners in the last fortnight and FINE INTERVIEW can add to that tally here. This son of Havana Grey was only beaten by a neck when third at Doncaster on seasonal debut and the handicapper’s decision to leave his mark alone could prove to be generous. It’s reasonable to assume that the four-year-old will improve for the run and he could prove hard to beat if doing so.
Selection: Fine Interview
14:23 - Achilles Stakes
Karl Burke knows how to train a sprinter and LEOVANNI showed a significant amount of ability as a two-year-old. She won the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot but hated the soft ground in the Cheveley Park Stakes. Hopefully there’s enough good in the ground for her here and she gets all the allowances on offer, being a three-year-old filly.
Selection: Leovanni
14:58 - Lester Piggott Fillies' Stakes
SHAHA was very lightly raced as a three-year-old and the horse she comfortably beat when winning a Southwell maiden last year is now rated 94. John & Thady Gosden train this four-year-old filly and she was a smooth winner of a Listed contest at Goodwood on seasonal debut. The step up to Group 3 looks very logical on that evidence and there could be any amount of improvement still to come.
Selection: Shaha
15:33 - John Of Gaunt Stakes
While AUDIENCE may not be the most consistent performer, he is capable of producing a high level of form when on a going day. He won the Lockinge Stakes in very good style last season and was also a winner at Glorious Goodwood, taking the Lennox Stakes. The son of Iffraaj is entitled to improve significantly for his seasonal debut at Meydan last month and the return to 7f is a major positive.
Selection: Audience
16:08 - Fillies' Handicap
Ed Bethell is a trainer to look out for and he runs OOLONG POOBONG here. She was pretty consistent last term, barring one below-par display, and got off the mark at the second time of asking in a Newcastle novice back in August. Denied by a narrow margin in a competitive nursery at Doncaster in the autumn, it was a similar story on seasonal debut and she can return to winning ways here.
Selection: Oolong Poobong
16:43 - Sankey Handicap
Owen Burrows has booked William Buick to ride handicap debutant AL SHABABI and that could be significant, especially when considering the jockey’s excellent course record in 2025. This horse was an impressive winner of a Windsor maiden last time out and an opening handicap mark of 82 should be very workable on that evidence.
Selection: Al Shababi
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to fluctuation