Haydock Saturday 3rd April

Quite an eclectic mix of racing on this Easter Saturday, with the beginning of the Irish Grand National meeting at Fairyhouse, a high-quality flat card at Musselburgh, and the ‘Challenger Series Finals’ at Haydock, amongst a whole host of other interesting cards.

Betting interest comes widespread for me today, with each-way fancies aplenty – Lady Breffni in the Fairyhouse 3.30 will love the better ground, Silva Eclipse can prove to be chaser going places at his beloved Haydock in the 2.40, Just Don’t Know looks overpriced in the Carlisle 2.13 to prove that he could be a well-handicapped horse over fences, and Ronde De Nuit looks the pick of the JP McManus’ owned pair in the Newton Abbot 2.30.

But the bet of the day perhaps, other than the each-way investment on Small Present, already advised in the Haydock 3.15, comes earlier on the card at the Merseyside venue. They say not to be afraid of one horse, well I am, but I am going to advise betting against the progressive chaser Five Star Getaway anyway, in the ‘Betway Challenger Series Middle Distance Chase Final’ at 1.30.

Instead, taking the 11/2 generally about John Mackie’s Barton Knoll each-way looks a sensible play, in a race where beyond the two or three at the head of the market, not many make much appeal.

Barton Knoll will find this much easier than trying to fend off the Greatwood Gold Cup field that he very nearly did last time out – that was a much more competitive race, and without the errant The Big Bite almost taking him out on another circuit up the run-in, he would have been bang there in the first two or three.

Barton Knoll is a winner at the track, will love the ground, and has a profile that suggests he always comes on for his first run after a break. In addition, he may not get much competition for the lead, which will be a massive fillip to his chances, around a track that very much suits prominent racers who get into a good rhythm.

Five Star Getaway, as mentioned, is the obvious danger, but he has been travelling smoothly in races against lesser rivals than he takes on today in the shape of Barton Knoll, and we don’t know what there is under the bonnet, once he has to get down and dirty. At 11/2 each-way generally, Barton Knoll will give him plenty to do I fancy.