FONTAINE COLLONGES can win the Peter Marsh Handicap Chase (A Limited Handicap) (GBB Race) (GBB Race) (2.40pm) at Haydock Park on Saturday afternoon – if the meeting passes a precautionary inspection at 8am in the morning.
With freezing conditions proving costly for the majority of National Hunt racing in Britain this week, Haydock’s seven-race card could be the latest casualty – although officials at the track are hopeful as long as temperatues don't dip too severly overnight. If the Merseyside track gets the green light Venetia Williams’ eight-year-old mare looks to have a big chance of landing the Grade Two feature.
Fontaine Collonges has won three of her six chase starts including over course and distance in the Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Handicap Chase in November, just getting the better of The Big Breakaway – who advertised the form when a fine second in the Coral Welsh National at Chepstow over Christmas.
Fontaine Collonges had also won at Warwick and Lingfield – on this weekend – last season.
She was only fourth to Remastered in a three-mile handicap at Kempton over Christmas, but she made a bad mistake three out before rallying and staying-on well.
Fontaine Collonges still looks to be improving and has generally jumped well. She enjoys the testing conditions she will again face on Merseyside and can get the better of Haydock specialist, veteran Bristol De Mai, and Sandy Thomson’s Empire Steel.
EPATANTE can return to winning ways before a trip to Cheltenham in the Grade Two New One Unibet Hurdle (Registered As The Champion Hurdle Trial Race) (GBB Race) (2.05pm).
The nine-year-old JP McManus-owned mare won the Champion Hurdle in 2020 and has been third and second to Honeysuckle in the Cheltenham Festival feature over the past two seasons.
But she has found stablemate and warm Champion Hurdle favourite Constitution Hill too hot to handle this season, following him by some distance in second in both the Fighting Fifth at Newcastle and the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton.
But down in grade and clearly the class act of this Grade Two contest she can land another victory before another trip to Prestbury Park in March for either the Champion Hurdle or more likely the Mares’ Hurdle – although she will need supplementing for that race.
Dan Skelton’s stable remains in fine form and has been firiing in Saturday winners throughout the past few months. And PEMBROKE may be another in the Grade Two Sky Bet Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (1.30pm).
The six-year-old grabbed back-to-back successes over hurdles at Wetherby and Ludlow in November and last month respectively. That most recent effort at Ludlow was particularly impressive as he scored by 16 lengths.
He looks an improving young hurdler and may book his ticket to Cheltenham and/or Aintree by bringing up the hat-trick.
Paul Nicholls’ STAGE STAR can win the Grade Two Patrick Coyne Memorial Altcar Novices’ Chase (GBB Race) (12.20pm).
Nicholls has taken three successive Saturday Grade One Novice contests over hurdles and fences recently and Stage Star can win to add to his team of youngsters for Cheltenham and the the Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse.
The seven-year-old has won two of his three starts over fences at Plumpton and Warwick and was second to Sebastopol in a Grade Two at Newbury on his other chase start this season. He made one bad mistake that day that cost him, but he is generally improving his jumping and can come out on top in this three-runner contest.
Merseyside-born trainer Donald McCain has a couple of chances of victory at one of his ‘home’ tracks with SILVER FLYER capable of following up a recent success at Doncaster with another in the Racing TV Club Day Handicap Hurdle (3.10pm).
Stable-mate HEARTBREAK KID disappointed last time out at Wetherby but may be able to land a first success since last February in the Simon Marsh Memorial Handicap Chase (12.55pm).
Another Grand National-winning trainer Dr Richard Newland may take the finale at Haydock, the Start Your RacingTV Free Trial Now Handicap Hurdle (3.40pm) with QUICK SHARPENER.
The all-weather tracks have kept the show on the road this week as far as racing action is concerned and Lingfield and Southwell on Saturday afternoon – and Wolverhampton in the evening – are the Flat fixtures.
AL AGAILA can be one of the main highlights with victory in the talkSPORT Winter Oaks Fillies’ Handicap (2.47pm) at Lingfield.
The Simon and Ed Crisford-trained Al Agaila landed the trial for this contest in good style, scoring by two-and-a-half lengths on her handicap debut. She had previously won a maiden at Kempton and although she is up 11lbs for her latest success Al Agaila looks as if she is on an upward curve. The four-year-old looks an interesting prospect and she can bring up the hat-trick under James Doyle.
PARIS LIGHTS made a winning start for trainer George Boughey over course and distance last month. And the full-brother to middle distance star St Mark’s Basilica can go in again in the Huge Daily Boosts Only At BetUK Handicap (1.37pm).
Paris Lights cost 650,000 guineas as a yearling but did little in five runs when trained in Ireland by Jessica Harrington. He was snapped up by Opulence Thoroughbreds for 60,000 guineas in July and having been gelded before his debut, Paris Lights may be starting to live up to those lofty early hopes. From a decent opening mark of 80, Paris Lights can make a winning handicap debut to score again.
POETIC FORCE may be able to land another course and distance victory in the Spreadex Sports Get 40 In Bonuses Handicap (2.12pm). Tony Carroll’s nine-year-old was back to form to beat Free Solo in a seven-furlong handicap at Lingfield two weeks ago. He looks capable of following up to beat chiefly the Kevin Foy-trained Million Thanks and hat-trick-seeking Lord Rapscallion, from the Stuart Williams stable.
Stable-mate POP DANCER is another course and distance scorer and he may be able to build on his fourth at Wolverhampton two weeks ago to score again in the BetUK Over 40,000 Live Streamed Races Handicap (3.22pm).
Charlie Johnston’s ASDAA is in fine form, having won three of his last four starts and also been second in the other. He can go in again in the finale at Lingfield, the Spreadex Sports 300 Spread Betting Cashback Handicap (3.57pm).
The seven-year-old has been on the go with those four runs all coming since December 28. Connections clearly want to strike while the iron’s hot and Asdaa is sure to go very close to another success.
Others who can win at Lingfield are Michael Wigham’s SEPTEMBER POWER – a runner-up over course and distance two weeks ago – in the opener, the BetUK’s Acca Club 5 Free Bet Handicap (11.55am); another recent winner, Boughey’s POCKET THE PACKET, in the talkSPORT Powered By Fans Handicap (12.27pm); and the Henry Candy-trained BUSSELTON in the Spreadex Sports First Goalscorer Insurance Classified Stakes (1.02pm).
Wright Ones
HAYDOCK PARK (precautionary inspection 8am)
12.20pm Stage Star
12.55pm Heartbreak Kid
1.30pm Pembroke
2.05pm Epatante
2.40pm Fontaine Collonges (NAP)
3.10pm Silver Flyer
3.40pm Quick Sharpener
LINGFIELD
11.55am September Power
12.27pm Pocket The Packet
1.02pm Busselton
1.37pm Paris Lights
2.12pm Poetic Force
2.47pm Al Agaila
3.22pm Pop Dancer
3.57pm Asdaa
SOUTHWELL
12.50pm Midgetonamission
1.25pm Perfect Swiss
2pm King's Gem
2.35pm Tyger Bay
3.15pm Winter Melody
3.45pm Muatadel
WOLVERHAMPTON
5pm Madrinho
5.30pm Prospering
6pm Rowdown Roza
6.30pm Beauzon
7pm Creek Harbour
7.30pm Dodgy Bob
8pm Jenny Ren
8.30pm Order Of St John
SUNDAY'S NAP: Yagan (Newcastle 1.15pm)
