Andrew Asquith has looked through the card at Haydock on Saturday and has two selections.
Weekend View: Saturday January 18
1pt win Imagine in the 2.30 Haydock at 10/1 (General)
0.5pts e.w. Bushypark in the 3.05 Haydock at 40/1 (1/4 1,2,3,4 - Sky Bet, Paddy Power, Betfair)
Warmer weather is on the horizon! The snow has now vanished in my village and the forecast this week is a lot more attractive, so hopefully the talk and tribulations of abandonments are behind us, for now anyway.
The three-day Berkshire Winter Million starts on Friday, with plenty of prize money on offer, but I’ve looked over Ascot’s card on Saturday, and nothing really stands out to me at the prices.
Therefore, I’m heading to Haydock, where a couple have caught my eye. First up is the Harry Derham-trained IMAGINE who is set to go in the Sky Bet Peter Marsh Handicap Chase.
It looks a good renewal with two-time winner of the race Royale Pagaille attempting to defy a BHA mark of 166. His last win in this race came in 2022 off a perch of 163, so he does look interesting given he looked as good as ever when winning his second Betfair Chase in November and it looks like he’ll get his favoured ground conditions (it is currently heavy at Haydock).
However, he is a general 5/2 favourite in a race which may contain some better handicapped types, so I’m all in for taking him on. Imagine looked a natural when making a winning debut over fences for Gordon Elliott over an extended two miles at Fairyhouse last season, impressing with his jumping, and asserting away from the now high-class Inothewayurthinkin under a hands-and-heels ride.
He made hard work of seeing off two of his three rivals in a Grade 2 over a similar distance at Punchestown on his next start, but he recorded an excellent timefigure on that occasion, while the form also worked out well with the second and third both winning next time, the third winning a competitive handicap handsomely from a mark of 139.
Imagine wasn’t as strong in the market and met with defeat for the first time upped to two and a half miles back at Punchestown on his final start for Elliott, but it is worth noting that plenty from that yard underperformed that weekend, and he folded as if something may have been amiss in the closing stages.
He was part of the high-profile Caldwell dispersal sale afterwards and connections went to €320,000 to acquire his services. Imagine reportedly took a while to settle into his new surroundings, so Derham was in no rush to get him out last season, and he was the subject of a big ante-post gamble on his return in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham in November.
Indeed, that race could hardly have gone any worse for him, never looking like landing a blow and he was ultimately pulled up before three out. His trainer was very vocal post-race stating, ‘it was a big plan which went spectacularly wrong’.
Derham blamed himself for running Imagine on good ground which clearly proved too quick for him and he has been given plenty of time to get over that bad experience. This represents a big step up in trip for Imagine, but there is stamina in his pedigree – he’s a half-brother to a three-mile winner, while his dam is a half-sister to one who stayed four and a half miles.
Furthermore, Derham stated in an early-season stable tour that he wouldn’t be surprised if the ended up running Imagine over three miles one day, so he must get the impression he will be suited by a bigger test of stamina. The ground will be testing at Haydock on Saturday and, from a handicapping perspective, he’s potentially well treated.
The weight of money which came for him ahead of his return at Cheltenham also suggests connections feel he’s on a good mark, too, and the general 10/1 on offer looks fair for a horse who is totally unexposed, is well worth a try at this longer trip, and still has the potential to make up into a graded performer this season.
The Sky Bet Cheltenham Non-Runner No Bet Handicap Hurdle has the potential to cut up somewhat, current favourite Jipcot having multiple entries over the weekend (he’s jocked up at Ascot too), while several others also have multiple entries.
One horse who I’m pretty sure will take his chance and can’t resist a small bet at 40/1 is 11-year-old BUSHYPARK. Admittedly, he isn’t the most consistent, and he has failed to complete on both starts so far this season, but he loves it at Haydock (three-time course winner) and all of those victories have come on ground that Timeform described as soft or heavy.
He scored by eight and a half lengths from a mark of 120 over this course and distance a few years ago, while his latest success at this course came from a mark of 115 last season, so he’s handicapped to go well from his current 114.
Bushypark was also well supported to win a lesser handicap than this back over this course and distance at the end of December and he looked on good terms with himself, going with his usual verve out in front and having a fair few of his rivals off the bridle when he departed at the ninth hurdle.
He took off too soon at that flight and took quite a heavy fall and, while it was too far out to suggest what would have happened, he is a relentless galloper who is hard to peg back when in a good rhythm. Front-running tactics can lend themselves well to Haydock, especially when the ground is testing, and I can see him running a big race at fancy odds.
Philip Kirby is also in decent form, having several winners over the Christmas period and he’s also had plenty of horses hitting the frame in recent weeks. This may not turn out to be that competitive for the grade and Bushypark is just the type of horse who can bounce back from a couple of blips and get his season up and running.
Preview posted at 1410 GMT on 14/01/2025
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