Road To Cheltenham previews the runners in the 2026 Peter Marsh at Haydock and picks out a betting tip.
14:00 Haydock
The Peter Marsh Chase is the feature race at Haydock on Saturday, with a small but select field of seven runners declared this weekend. Course specialist Royale Pagaille carries top weight here and it would be some story if he could record a sixth victory at the Merseyside track.
Peter Marsh Chase 2026 Odds
| Horse | Best Odds |
|---|---|
| Myretown | 2/1 |
| Konfusion | 5/2 |
| Johnnywho | 7/2 |
| Royale Pagaille | 9/1 |
| Richmond Lake | 11/1 |
| Imperial Saint | 20/1 |
Last updated on 16/01/2026 at 12:30.
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Peter Marsh Chase 2026 Runners Guide
I’ve looked through each runner and assessed their chances of success on Saturday afternoon, landing on one selection that will hopefully turn a profit for backers. Without further ado, let’s get down to business – starting with the aforementioned Haydock legend Royale Pagaille.
ROYALE PAGAILLE
A two-time winner of this race, Royale Pagaille finished a gallant second in the Betfair Chase back in November and this was quickly mentioned as a potential target. Now 12 years old, you wonder if this may well be his swansong and there won’t be a dry eye in the house if he’s able to get his head in front.
He runs off a mark of 159, meaning he must give 13lbs to Johnnywho and plenty more to his other rivals. He lugged 11-10 around to win the previous two renewals but he’ll carry 12-0 this weekend and conditions aren’t really in his favour. The heart would love him to win but my head says to look elsewhere.
JOHNNYWHO
He has been knocking on the door for a big handicap for some time now and Saturday could finally be his day if he takes to Haydock. While all three of his victories under rules have come on right-handed tracks, he ran a nice race in the Grand Sefton at Aintree in November and that track’s configuration would be similar enough to Haydock.
Beaten a neck by Daily Present in the 2025 Kim Muir Handicap Chase at Cheltenham in March, Johnnywho has conditions in his favour and I’d be surprised if he wasn’t good enough to be in the shake-up come the finish. One thing against him is Jonjo & AJ O’Neill are just 1-22 (5%) over the last two weeks so the yard isn’t exactly firing right now.
KONFUSION
Up to a mark of 145, Konfusion has plenty in his favour ahead of Saturday’s race and he is a really promising prospect. A progressive sort, he has gone from strength to strength this year – having gone up 30lbs in four runs since bolting up on his seasonal reappearance at Wetherby in November.
Given an early entry for the 2026 Cheltenham Gold Cup, connections clearly hold him in high regard and I’d be expecting him to be in the mix here. He was still going well when falling here on Betfair Chase Day and the track won’t be a bother given his liking for flat, galloping courses. He should be on everyone’s shortlist for this race.
NASSALAM
It would be a huge surprise to see Nassalam in the winner’s enclosure on Saturday, with drying conditions unlikely to suit. Pulled up on five of his last six starts, he’s a 50/1 shot for a reason and he may find it tough going again this weekend. His form has really tailed off over the past two years and it’s hard to find many positives for his chances here.
MYRETOWN
Well fancied in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in November, Myretown was a faller for the second time in six chase starts when coming down at the ninth fence. On the four occasions he has completed a race, he has three victories to his name and one of those came in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the 2025 Cheltenham Festival.
Trained by Lucinda Russell & Michael Scudamore, he is viewed by some as the best handicapped horse in training and this may turn out to be a genius bit of placing from connections. He’s yet to run at Haydock but all signs point towards a big run and he is another that should be there or thereabouts at the finish.
IMPERIAL SAINT
Left-handed, flat tracks seem to be what Imperial Saint wants – with four of his five career victories coming at Aintree and Ffos Las. I’d imagine he is being aimed at another shot at the Freebooter Handicap Chase at the Grand National meeting in April but he’s already 3lbs lower than the mark of 144 that he was second off that day.
With that in mind, I wonder if he can be competitive against the likes of Royale Pagaille, Konfusion and Myretown off this figure and if he could potentially line up at Aintree off the same mark as last year. He’d be one to consider for the places but each way betting with only two places on offer wouldn’t be for me.
RICHMOND LAKE
Richmond Lake was third in this race last year off an 8lbs higher mark and Mr Vango, the winner that day, is now rated 155 and still on the up. Donald McCain is a shrewd target trainer at these sorts of tracks and this gelding had wind surgery in the summer, so I’d be inclined to think a plan has been in the pipeline for a while.
He wouldn’t be for me on Saturday but I wouldn’t be entirely shocked to see him run a big race – especially if any rain falls at Haydock overnight on Friday. That being said, he is a 10-year-old now and mightn’t have the class of some of those younger, unexposed types that are coming through the ranks.
Peter Marsh 2026 Tips
I’ve landed on KONFUSION here. He is the form pick, he has the progressive profile and he was bloodless when winning the Rowland Meyrick Handicap Chase at Wetherby on Boxing Day. Johnnywho and Myretown can fight it out for the place but I’m hoping to see Joel Parkinson & Sue Smith’s stable star in the winner’s enclosure again.
