Haydock Park to welcome back racegoers for first time in 2021

Haydock Park racecourse will welcome back racegoers for the first time in 2021 on Friday afternoon with a competitive seven-race card.
Haydock Park will welcome back racegoers for the first time in 2021 on Friday afternoonHaydock Park will welcome back racegoers for the first time in 2021 on Friday afternoon
Haydock Park will welcome back racegoers for the first time in 2021 on Friday afternoon

Under new Covid-19 sporting regulations, racecourses can have up to 4,000 racegoers at the track. The meeting gets underway at 1pm and concludes at 4.25pm. We have previewed the pick of the action.

The feature race of the day is the £47,000 Listed EBF British Stallion Studs Cecil Frail at 2.05pm. The contest, run over six furlongs, features one of the most exciting horses of last season, the Karl Burke-trained Dandalla.

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The three-year-old was a stylish winner of the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot in June before landing further Group-race honours at Newmarket in July. She shaped better than the result suggests when seventh at Newbury last month and is a danger over this trip.

Last Empire will have to defy top-weight to win this event, but looks to hold live claims for Kevin Ryan. The five-year-old was a Listed winner in France last year and finished a fine second on her return in Listed company at Nottingham earlier this month and will enjoy some cut in the ground.

Ventura Diamond was third in the same Listed event contested by Last Empire and also warrants respect along with Dense Star who has run two solid races for Stuart Williams, including when third at Chelmsford in April.

The field are completed by Mamba Wamba who looked in need of the run when ninth in the Nell Gwyn on her reappearance and Twilight Spinner who takes the step up to pattern level having landed a maiden at Ripon on her second start.

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Across the rest of the card, the six-furlong British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes (1.30pm) has a prize fund of £7,900 and has attracted seven runners, including Wild Beauty who was sixth on debut for Godolphin at Ascot having pulled hard. The two-year-old is a daughter of Frankel and should improve for that outing.

Her main rivals include True Jem who cost €50,000 and is a daughter of Dabirism, whilst Magnolia State is by Kodiac and was bought for £72,000.

There are other maiden events on the card, including the £6,900 Culcheth Fillies’ Novice Stakes at 2.40pm. One of the most fascinating runners is Madame Ambassador who represents Mark Johnston and is a son of dual 2000 Guineas hero Churchill. Her dam Lady Jane Digby was also a Group One winner in Germany and she looks an interesting runner on debut.

£44,000 purchase Mezzanotte is a daughter of Decorated Knight and cost £44,000. Her trainer Sir Mark Prescott is enjoying a 20% strike-rate at present. Lady Valentine is another debutant who cost £40,000 for trainer Tom Dascombe and also demands attention. However, the horse to beat could be Pink Storm who has finished third on her first two starts and she looks capable of winning an event of this nature for trainer Karl Burke and this could be a good opportunity to get off the mark.

Haydock Selections

1.00pm Kaser

1.30pm Wild Beauty

2.05pm Dandalla

2.40pm Madame Ambassador

3.15pm Siyata

3.50pm Ford Madox Brown

4.25pm Poet’s King

Analysis via Betting Expert