Saturday’s horse racing preview

Haydock the highlight of a busy day

Coral horse racing backers have an interesting Saturday ahead, not quite the drama of last week’s Grand National, but there’s winners to be found and profit to be made. UK and Irish racing goes at Haydock, Musselburgh, Carlisle, Brighton, Newton Abbot, Stratford, Kempton and Cork.

Click here to back your best bets or accumulators, such as Lucky 15’s, or read on as we lay-out our NAP and NB at Haydock. Betting on the go? Scroll to the bottom of this page where you will find a selection in each of the seven races, aimed at aiding your multiples.

Geraghty expected to get Maestro a win

Haydock stages the finals of the challenger series, with a seven-race card penned in for a 2.05pm opener. We stick with Mumgos Debut to get us off to a winning start, but with regards to our NAP of the day we’re sitting on the sidelines until the 3.15pm Challenger Two Mile Hurdle Series Final Handicap Hurdle.

Midnight Maestro goes for Barry Geraghty and Alan King, and looks the winner of a competitive leg. The five-year-old gelding starts with a record of three wins and a runner-up from five goes, including a real eye-catching effort last time out around Stratford. Beating Brotherly Company home by a solid margin that day, the selection was nothing if not totally dominant. Going off a 6/4 jolly, he more than lived up to the hype, running on at the business end of the test to delight backers.

There’s plenty more expected of Midnight Maestro and connections send him in with confidence. The challenges of this race will play to his strengths, and the ground is another box ticked. He’s been budged up 7lbs, but should take that on the chin. We should be on to a decent price with this one too.

Behind Time ahead of the game

We’ll be hoping to be on to a double by the time Behind Time lines-up in the Challenger Stayers Hurdle Series Final Handicap Hurdle, a two-miles six-furlongs contest due at 4.20pm. Of the bumper 16-runner field we’re again trusting Geraghty, who goes for Harry Fry on this occasion.

Five-year-old Behind Time has been a bit hit-and-miss for punters, following up a cracking win at Cheltenham in September with a couple of uninspiring efforts at Newbury and Sandown in his last two. If he was to be judged on that pair alone, I’d say don’t touch him, but we see the potential there to improve.

He has been well treated so far, and that could prove the difference here, while connections add the cheekpieces in an attempt to refocus him. If he can rediscover his early promise we’ll have something to cheer home.

Haydock Selections

2.05 – Mumgos Debut

2.40 – Rathlin Rose

3.15 – Midnight Maestro

3.50 – Secret Door

4.20 – Behind Time

4.55 – Conquer Gold

5.30 – Courtown Oscar

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