Haydock 05/07/08

[billy the punter]

Another great card. This is one of my favourite racedays of the calender, the Eclipse, Yorkshire Oaks, Old Newton Cup - I have some great punting memories over the years on this day and I hope that continues. 3.35 Old Newton Cup (Heritage Handicap) (Class 2) I said at the start of the season that Eradicate could have a decent year and so far he has done well. Highly weighted now granted but is Hamilton win reads well. Was a big drifter when disappointing LTO at Epsom but back to 12f here - which I believe is his trip. Before Mad Rush's first start this season I spoke at great lengths about how well handicapped he was. His mark was very lenient given his handicap form. After two runs he is 14lb higher and still favourite for a big handicap. So you could say I was right. ;) He has to go down as one of the unluckiest horses around, he perhaps should've beaten the well handicapped Punjabi FTO this year and was raised 9lb for finishing 2nd. He again found one just too good at Royal Ascot and again has to put up with a hike (5lb). All this after two narrown defeats in both handicaps last season. Despite the rises he still has a massive chance in this. Luca Cumani's last three runners in this have finished 211 and I remember Zaralaska taking this back in 1997 after running in the Duke Of Edinburgh at Royal Ascot - the race Mad Rush ran in LTO. Camps Bay, Penvensey and Young Mick come into the reckoing with pulls for running close to Mad Rush in that Ascot race. Young Mick makes most appeal at the prices and his form could be on the up once again. I backed Pippa Greene on his three handicap runs last season and he won twice and run ok in the November handicap. It wasn't a bad reappearance in May at York and he has been dropped 2lb since. The best handicapped horse in the field IMO and must go close if all is well after a 50 day lay off. It's also a worry that we've only seen him once since November. The expected rain would suit also. Mad Rush 50% of stake 4/1 Hills Pippa Greene 40% of stake 9.8 betfair Eradicate 5% of stake 28 betfair Young Mick 5% of stake 25 betfair Plus 4 horse combo

[fintron]

Re: Haydock 05/07/08 Haydock 2.25

Planetarium – a 1.5 length second to Twice Over at Newmarket on last run last year. Hopefully the form of last race (3^rd of 3) can be ignored as it was a farce of a race with just three runners.