Playing for wages at Haydock & Goodwood....

Friday, 23rd May 2025

Playing for wages at Haydock & Goodwood….

Follow my Watch List horses….

In ATC today….

…. I swing the bat in all the weekend’s biggest betting heats….

I’m on SEX ON FIRE in the 1.50 at Haydock – he’s up at 14s….

…. I’m on SILVER GHOST at 14s in the 1.30 at Goodwood….

…. and I’m on DASHING DARCEY at 20s in the 1.15 at Haydock….

That’s the summary….

…. you’ll find all my reasoning below – as per usual….

Oh…. and if you’re looking for the standout place terms on offer – you’ll find them in the Bet Box below…. 

Read on….

-----

There’s an absolute stack of early pace in the Silver Bowl at Haydock (1.50)….

…. and those going hard early doors could well cut their own throats….

I think the race has the potential to set up well for SEX ON FIRE at the general 14s….

He won over course and distance in a first-time visor at the end of last month….

…. and then followed-up when not beaten far at all at Chester – another left-handed mile – off a 7lb higher mark….

He was a bit keen early doors that afternoon – and I think that did for him in the later stages of the race….

…. but he did enough to suggest that his revised mark is not beyond him….

I can see him dropped in behind the early pace tomorrow – just as George Wood has ridden him on his last two assignments….

…. and if Wood can pick the gaps late on then he’s going to go close….

In the Harroways at Goodwood (1.30) Mr Chaplin is respected and so too Tuco Salamanca….

…. but preference at the prices is for Emma Lavelle’s SILVER GHOST at the general 14s….

She won well at Newmarket earlier in the month – making good headway from an early-doors position at the rear and going through the line well….

She’s gone up 6lbs in the weights for that victory – but there’s more to come yet off a mark of 87….

…. she was 2-lengths ahead of Solar Army that day  – a subsequent winner at Newbury whose gone up 7lbs in the rankings himself….

She starts in stall 6 – which is no bad thing….

In 7f handicaps with a field of 12+ at Goodwood since the start of 2010….

…. single figure stalls have a 9.5% strike rate compared to 2.8% for the double figure stalls….

A low draw is no guarantee of victory, of course….

…. and anything can happen up the Goodwood straight where big-field races often turn into a free-for-all….

…. but I’d rather be starting in the right kind of place than not….

I reckon DASHING DARCEY is a big price at 20s in the Hell Nook at Haydock (1.15)….

Geoffery Harker’s only had him for the one run – a fact-finding mission in the Lincoln at Doncaster – where he didn’t get a clear run….

His sights are lowered substantially here, and I wonder if his price is based on a perception that he won’t handle tomorrow’s quick surface….

He certainly didn’t run well in last year’s Britannia at Royal Ascot – on good to firm ground….

…. and he produced improved efforts when brought back on slower ground in the autumn….

But the ground was quick enough when he won at Haydock last June ahead of his run at Royal Ascot – it was certainly good to firm in places that day….

…. and he was ridden on that occasion by Silvestre De Sousa – who Harker has recalled for tomorrow’s assignment….

You know me – I like to read between the lines and join the dots….

…. and there’s enough to tempt me in at a big price in a race where the only other horses that strike a note are the top two in the betting…

-----

Now, just to recap….

-----

That’s all for today….

I’ll be back with more next week….

Meantime – contact me direct at nick.pullen@oxonpress.co.uk  

And remember – win, lose or draw – enjoy the racing….

Stay tuned….

Against the Crowd