ITV Saturday Haydock and Ascot Preview

The Graduation Chase over 2m 5 1/2f sees a superb small field go to post and they look to all have to beat Paul Nicholls superstar Bravemansgame.

The Grade One winning hurdler took to chasing in impressive fashion last time out at Newton Abbot, jumping a near perfect round whilst making all from the front.

He's entitled to come on for the run with it having been his first start in six months and the form of his first start over fences has been franked with Fussil Raffles landing the Grade Two Charlie Hall Chase next time out.

Bravemansgame has been waiting for the season he steps over fences and at the moment looks extremely tough to beat.

The feature event of the afternoon is the 1965 Christy Chase and we are given a chance to the superstar of old Lostintranslation for the inform Colin Tizzard.

The nine year old two seasons ago started his term off at Carlisle when landing the Intermediate Chase in fine style which set him up perfectly for a tilt at the Betfair Chase against two time winner Bristol De Mai.

Having the run under his belt made the difference as he went on to stay on better than the Nigel Twiston-Davies horse up the straight and it saw him land his first black type event out of novice company.

Last season, without the run before the Betfair Chase and the heavy conditions it saw Bristol De Mai reverse the form and overall Tizzard's horse gave a very below par performance.

In December of that year Lostintranslation headed to Kempton on Boxing Day for the King George VI Chase and nothing went right for him throughout the race with his jumping ultimately letting him down and he was pulled up before the finish.

Having had a wind op he returned next time out in the Denman Chase and looked like he needed the run when only seventh of the nine.

It was another poor ending for the gelding when last seen in the Gold Cup when being pulled up before the second last.

However, now having had a second wind op and back down in trip, if back to his best he looks to have a big chance.

Risky bet but still holds huge ability.

The Grade Three Stayers' Handicap Hurdle every year throws out some lovely horses and this season we think the each way value lies with the Irish raider Doctor Duffy.

The eight year old has been seen frequently over both fences and hurdles during his career to date, but this season looks to have been primed for this event.

Dropping back down to hurdles for his seasonal debut having been over fences last term, he finished a good second behind the Willie Mullins trained Stratum in a 2m7f hurdle event at Thurles.

That run should have put him spot on for this event and with some runners unproven over this trip, he looks a solid contender to hit the frame.

Charles Byrnes does not bring many over to Haydock and it looks a shrewd move.

The Grade Two Coral Hurdle is a quality event every season and this year's renewal looks no different, with that in mind we are selecting the superstar Goshen.

An enigma of a horse to say the least. Goshen ascended the ranks of the juveniles last season only to break hearts, accumulators and place-pots alike with his final flight mistake in the Triumph Hurdle. 

Gary Moore’s five year old has a stiff task on his hands giving away 7lb to the girls in the field.

A couple of spins on the flat saw him come sixth of six and third of seven, bitterly disappointing for one with such a lofty reputation.

He then slipped further in expectations when trailing home last in the International Hurdle at Cheltenham in December. The bubble looked burst. 

But, a 70 day break Goshen returned at Wincanton in late February in the Kingwell hurdle and bounced back to form in style.

A 22 length procession saw him blitz the field and come home at a canter, with the deep ground playing to his strengths.

Well backed for the Champion Hurdle after that, everything went wrong for him on the day pulling Jamie Moore nearly off the track and ultimately costing him any chance and he then went to the Punchestown festival and again disappointed.

Overall, Goshen is a horse with immense talent and if getting him on a going day over this longer trip, he could bounce back to form in a big way.

The feature event of the afternoon is the Grade One Betfair Chase and the Irish raider A Plus Tard could be very tough to beat if fully tuned up.

The seven year old has been a superb horse during his career, really bouncing onto the scene in 2019 when taking the old Novices' Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham festival.

Two seasons he again put up another superb performance at Leopardstown over Christmas, when becoming one of the very few horses to beat Chacun Pour Soi in a Grade One.

He went to Cheltenham off the back of that run in the Ryanair and when punted to run a big race, could only finish third behind Min.

Last term, he made his seasonal debut in the two mile Grade Two Fortria Chase at Navan, where he was narrowly beaten by Castlegrace Paddy.

It was obvious that two miles was not his trip and De Bromhead last time out sent him over three miles for the first time in his career and didn't half suit him.

In the Grade One Savills Chase he came from a long way back off the pace to snatch victory at Leopardstown.

He headed into the Gold Cup with a huge chance and in the end ran a valiant race in second just being seen off by stablemate Minella Indo who outstayed him on the day.

The gelding returns for his seasonal debut in this event and is said to be in top shape at home.

The final selection of the afternoon from the Berkshire track is the Anthony Honeyball trained Sully D'Oc AA who does need to improve from his seasonal debut but looks a big price for his talent.

Starting his season off at Ascot last term in the Novices' Handicap Chase he was a very smart winner off a mark of 125.

Having had a superb season, finishing a good third at Newbury in a tough handicap and then running another credible eighth at the Cheltenham festival, he then dropped down to two miles at Aintree and was a narrow second to the impressive Editeur Du Gite.

Up to a mark of 137 he went over to Ireland for an expensive handicap at the Punchestown festival and landed the 19 runner affair in taking style.

He made his seasonal debut this term over today's course and distance and looked to desperately need the run off a mark of 147.

Dropped 2lb for that run he looks an attractive each way player in this race.

The final runner of the afternoon for us comes in the Handicap Chase over 3m 1 1/2f and Strictlyadancer is turned around quickly after his superb win at Cheltenham's November meeting.

The seven year old looks the one to beat near the foot of the weights having won with something in hand at the October meeting and then again improved last time out over the same course and distance to win cosily.

He has gone up another 7lb for that win but obviously in fine fettle he has a big chance to land a lovely hat-trick for Christian Williams, who is also in good form.