Heavy ground could sink Blow Your Horn's bid for £100,000 bonus at Haydock

So much rain is expected at Haydock that the meeting will need to pass a morning inspection and if it does get the go-ahead, the ground will be what I call 'Haydock heavy'.

Haydock heavy is, in my opinion, a notch more testing than heavy ground at many other tracks and some horses love it, but others hate it. So, who will act on it and who will flounder?

Cinnodin gave the impression he will have no problem with conditions when scoring on soft at Newbury and trainer Richard Hughes says his horse is an “out-and-out stayer”. That suggests he will be suited by this test, but it is a stern one for a three-year-old.

Miss Cynthia and Nobody Told Me are the other two from that age group and Nobody Told Me definitely acts on soft. His form figures on soft read 44143, but Miss Cynthia hasn’t run on slower than good. Her sire is mudlark Sea The Moon, though.

Just three three-year-olds have run in the race since its inception two years ago and all were unplaced. Older horses have dominated and last season’s winner Run For Oscar was seven.

Blow Your Horn returned to his best at the age of six with a hat-trick in June and two of those wins came in Sunday Series races. That means he is chasing the £100,000 bonus for three victories in the series, but he has beaten just two rivals in two runs on going softer than good and is likely to struggle in these conditions.
Race analysis by Graeme Rodway

What they say

Jim Goldie, trainer of Geremia
It will be tough going but we think he'll probably handle the ground. Blow Your Horn outstayed us at Beverley, but I hope we can mug him this time.

Ian Williams, trainer of Blow Your Horn and Justus
It's a little concerning that the ground is as slow as it is, but hopefully it will be wet and they'll be able to go through it. Blow Your Horn has been in great form, he didn't get the run of the race at Newcastle last time and he wasn't beaten far. It's a great opportunity and it would be very special to win the bonus. Justus will really enjoy the ground and he'd have a squeak at the weights.

Milton Harris: runs Pyramid Place at HaydockCredit: Nick Grimstead

Milton Harris, trainer of Pyramid Place
The softer the ground the better for him, he'll cope with it better than some of the Flat horses. He's rated 69 on the Flat and 121 over hurdles, so the mathematics say he's well handicapped, although it's never quite that simple, and I'd expect him to run really well.

Ed de Giles, trainer of Kalamity Kitty
She had a nice comeback run at Kempton and the very soft ground won't be a problem. She has a nice light weight and we're hopeful.

Richard Hughes, trainer of Cinnodin
He's an improving horse and he just does enough. He'll love the ground and he should have every chance.
Reporting by David Carr

Do you want £200+ of free bets? Racing Post have got the best offers, all in one place. Visit racingpost.com/freebets to find out more.