Haydock

1.15pm

Keeper Hill

I schooled him on Friday morning, and he really is in great form.  This is a competitive race, for all it is low on numbers, but it’s nice to get him started over fences again, as we haven’t seen him in a chase since April last year. His Grade 2 Doncaster win back in 2017 hinted at his potential in this sphere and of course he rounded off last season with an excellent third in a big-field handicap at Aintree. His 7lb penalty for that Doncaster win makes life tough but this looks a good starting point for him after his wind op, and the better-than-usual ground at Haydock is a plus.

2.25pm

Potters Corner

It sounds like there may have been an excuse for his reappearance run at Aintree. But, regardless, the handicapper has played very fair in dropping him 6lb for it. He obviously made his name in much deeper ground and over a longer trip when winning the Midlands Grand National, but he certainly has the talent to make his mark off 134 – he is 11lb higher over fences – and he has winning form over 2m4f over hurdles and on good to soft, too. He clearly needs to step up a lot on what he did at Aintree in this hugely competitive handicap, though.