The Punt Daily: Tom Collins with four to follow on Saturday

BANKER

Mayleaf Shine(4.50 Haydock)

The ground at Haydock looked very much on the soft side yesterday and it's worth looking for those well-handicapped horses who have been waiting for conditions to change, and Mayleaf Shine is one. Iain Jardine's Mayson filly has recorded her two career successes on yielding-to-soft and heavy (this race last year) ground, but has been performing creditably on quick ground this season – well enough to suggest she can instantly make a mark now the rain has come. She's dropped down to a mark of 88, just 1lb higher than when winning this in 2017, and rates as my banker of the day.

EYECATCHER

Reshoun (3.35 Haydock)

Another that will appreciate the testing conditions is the ex-French-trained Reshoun. Having taken two runs to acclimatise to Britain last August, he racked up form figures of 231 to end the campaign (first and third runs on rain-softened ground on turf, middle on the all-weather) and was subsequently given the winter off. He's had no chance this season in competitive handicaps on fast ground, and although his form figures of 6000 are less than inspiring, I'm confident he'll figure at the business end.

DARK HORSE

Polybius(4.30 Ascot)

Tipping Polybius is probably a quick way to the poor house as David Simcock's gelding is evidently tough to win with, but if he's going to win a race of this nature it will be today. The seven-year-old absolutely loves it at Ascot and caught the eye when finishing sixth in a pair of 5f handicaps here earlier in the season. The extra furlong will definitely held this hold-up performer and providing he can find a clear passage through the race, he can go close off a very attractive mark of 89.

GOOD THING

Gilgamesh(2.45 Ascot)

Gilgamesh is very much in the same ilk as Polybius, in so far as he will be held up early and try to come through the pack late and fast under a well-timed ride. There isn't a better man to have on board than Jamie Spencer. The supreme rider has chosen Gilgamesh over Raising Sand, probably due to George Scott's runner seemingly still on the improve after just 12 career runs. He was unlucky last time out at Chelmsford when the race wasn't run to suit, and I think he'll take this big-field handicap at around the 7-1 mark.

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