13:15 Haydock

Leg 1 Selections: Auld Toon Loon, Tiger Beetle 

AULD TOON LOON ran a tidy race when second on handicap debut at Wetherby and this is an ease in grade, so from a three pounds higher mark, back up in trip, he should be tough to beat. TIGER BEETLE might emerge as the biggest threat, who is another that will find this company easier than last time and was third in a much stronger race than this at Doncaster last month. He won’t be inconvenienced by better ground and Sean Levey is an eye-catching jockey booking as well. 

13:50 Haydock

Leg 2 Selections: Themaxwecan, Solent Gateway

My main pick is the Charlie Johnston-trained seven-year-old, THEMAXWECAN, who will be a lot fitter from his return in the Queen’s Cup at Musselburgh and is only a pound higher than when winning the Shergar Cup Stayers event at Ascot last year. He has won off higher marks in the past and this course should suit with Connor Beasley booked to ride. Hugo Palmer’s SOLENT GATEWAY has plenty of smart form to his name, including when third in the Northumberland Plate last year and could go well. 

14:25 Haydock

Leg 3 Selections: Defence Of Port, James Mchenry

DEFENCE OF PORT was highly tried in a pair of pattern-class events after a winning debut at Ascot and while he didn’t give his true running, he makes his handicap/seasonal debut off a fair mark of 88. It’s surprising connections are stepping him up to a mile, which indicates they think he will improve for it and he is well-treated on the balance of his debut success. He is of strong interest, while JAMES MCHENRY did well to come from off the pace to win a shade comfortably here last time over course-and-distance and is respected. 

15:00 Haydock

Leg 4 Selections: Mill Stream, Matilda Picotte

MILL STREAM could be decent value at the odds here. Jane Chapple-Hyam’s classy three-year-old made a winning debut at Doncaster last July before pushing Noble Style to within half-a-length when second at York and then finished fourth in what was a strong renewal of the Acomb at York on his final start. He could feature if tuned up with connections aiming him at the Commonwealth Cup, while MATILDA PICOTTE ran really well to finish third in the 1000 Guineas and she drops in trip and grade here. She is crazily overpriced. 

15:30 Haydock

Leg 5 Selections: Happy Romance, Raasel

HAPPY ROMANCE has lots of smart form to her name and arrives on the back of a smooth success in a Listed event at Bath. She has been mixing it with some of the best sprinters around and was second in a Group 1 last year, plus she ran well on her last visit here when a close-up fourth in the Group 1 Sprint Cup Stakes. Nice place claims at least, while RAASEL won over track and trip last May and went close in a Group 2 last season when a neck second. He should be on the premises once more. 

16:10 Haydock

Leg 6 Selections: Indian Falcon, Big R 

INDIAN FALCON didn’t figure on debut at Redcar on his only start last year but made a winning return at Pontefract and that form is solid given the second and third have both won since. The conditions will be a lot different here but further progress is sure to come and he should go well. BIG R saw out his race very well when fourth on handicap debut at Salisbury and the handicapper has surprisingly dropped him a pound. He must be thereabouts.