Racing tips: Irish Raider Rightplacerightime can be another well placed winner for Emmet Mullins

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Saturday's racing is one of the best days of racing in recent months in my opinion, with many Class 1's and big handicaps. Hopefully you can pick out a few winners.

Haydock 12:40

To see Defuture Is Bright as the favourite in the early stages of the market isn't really a surprise, but I don't think he is the most likeliest winner. I've watched his most recent race back, and even though it was a good effort, I don't think you could be confident in him staying this longer trip today. He looked a tired horse last time at Cheltenham over 2f shorter, and even though you could argue that this track is flatter and won't take as much to get, he finished 2nd over this trip at the course, and he got outstayed in the final furlong, so I'm not quite sure he'll stay. Don't get me wrong, I think he will be travelling one of the best throughout the race, but his finishing effort might not be as strong as others, and one who I think will be staying on is FURIUS DE CIERGUES. This horse raced in the same race as Defuture Is Bright, but finished around 13 lengths ahead, and even though there is a swing in the weights between the two, I'd rather side with the fact he looked like a true stayer.

The selection gets into this race right at the bottom of the weights, and races off a minimum weight of 10st, before you take away any apprentice claims that Defuture Is Bright has, who would then be classed as bottom weight. Even though this race in recent years has been dominated by horses who have carried top weight or close to top weight, I can't get away from the chances that this horse has. The ground should be spot on for him, he races off a low weight and he should relish this trip. His only effort over this distance resulted in a win, and his previous efforts over slightly shorter have been consistent in defeat, but that probably proves that he wanted further.

At the odds I think he offers great value. Fingers crossed on a nice round of jumping, and if that's the case then he should be fighting for the win.

Haydock 1:15

A small EW bet will be placed on LIGNOU, who makes his stable debut for Jannie Candlish. He has not been seen since moving from Noel Meade's yard, and hasn't raced in 166 days, which is a slight concern in terms of his fitness. However, he has got bits and pieces of form from when he was in Ireland, that is decent. Today's conditions appear to be suited well for this lad, as both of his wins came over 2m 3.5f and 2m 4f on good ground, which is something which is relatively close to today's conditions. His win in April has worked out well. The runner-up, Hewick, has improved from a 111 rated from when they met, to an 130 rated hurdler, and is now a 140 rated over fences, with his most recent run recording an RPR of 155. Further behind the selection that day was a Willie Mullins horse who has since won two chases and looks a good prospect over fences.

I feel like you will need to be relatively well handicapped to win this race, and none of them really scream out to me, other than maybe Our Surprise & Mackenberg, with the latter probably having a stronger chance. They are closely matched from their last race, but the McCain horse should be race fit today, but I feel like the odds which are on offer for Lignou, and the fact a stable switch could bring out improvement, he is worth a small EW play. There is always a chance that he'll need the run, but you don't need to go overboard with the money you back him with. A mark of 132 could be low for a horse who was previously owned by Gigginstown and was bought for 120k a few years back. He is still a 6yo, so has time for improvement, and Jennie Candlish is a very underrated trainer.

Haydock 2:25

Emmet Mullins is one of the most shrewdest trainers around, so the fact he's brought his horse over for this contest is a big statement in my opinion. He doesn't send many horses to Britain, so when he does, it should always be given a second look. RIGHTPLACERIGHTIME has been well found in the market, and it's no surprise really, as punters will latch on to his runners and the bookies will price them up as as short price, as they are worried of getting their panned by the punters.

He's no mug is Emmet, and his horse gets in the race right at the bottom of the weights with him carrying 10st 2lbs, but then he has opted for the services of in form apprentice rider, Harry Kimber, who takes off another 7lbs, so effectively he is running off 9st 9lbs, which is a ridiculous low weight. He must believe that this horse is extremely well handicapped, and he clearly believes he's found a nice opportunity to land a nice prize, which this is (£56,950).

This horse is still unexposed, especially now he is trained by Emmet. Emmet obtained this horse from Kevin F O'Donnell, and since then he has raced 3x and has been sent off favourite on all three occasions. He recently won last time out over fences (has had all 3 races for Emmet over fences) and he did it with ease. He clearly appreciated the step up to 3m, but now he has to prove he can do it over the small obstacles. What I find very interesting is that connections are willing to come to Britain in a Class 1 race on an inflated handicap mark, than rack up a series of wins in Ireland. His Irish handicap mark is 108, yet he races in this race today off a mark of 125. That fact alone gives me all the confidence I need that they believe this horse is that much well in.

Haydock 3:00

Another small EW bet will be placed on CHATHAM STREET LAD, who will be the joint lowest rated horse in this race, and on paper should have little to no chance in this. However, even though A Plus Tard and Bristol De Mai will be popular in the market, the rest of the field isn't exactly lighting the world on fire, and at the very least, the selection should be heavily considered for a place.

A Plus Tard is the deservedly correct market favourite, and no one can really argue against that point, as he is the highest rated horse in the race, and proved last year that he is a serious staying chaser for the next couple of seasons. However, like we've seen from Henry De Bromhead's horses this season, they appear to be needing their first runs of the season. This is a big race, so you'd expect his horse to be spot on for this, but there would be a slight doubt of mine that Minella Indo and others have needed their first run, and a similar thing could be in store for A Plus Tard. Bristol De Mai will be 100% ready for this race today. This is his Gold cup, and he will give everything to win it again for a fourth time, but the slight concern if you're backing him has to be the ground. He handles this surface, but he is best effective on bottomless ground, which he should not be getting unless the heavens open and the weather forecasts are totally wrong.

Which leaves me thinking Chatham Street Lad is the next best choice. He has already had a run this season, so should be race fit. He stays 3m, so even though it's a gamble that he'll stay this slightly further trip, there are strong possibilities that he will. The trainer was confident that a quicker surface would in fact suit, and he said this when he ran in the Marsh chase at Cheltenham where he ran a belter, and the form has worked out extremely well. Runner-up Fusil Raffles won the Charlie Hall. Shan Blue back in 5th would have won the Charlie Hall by a landslide if he didn't fall, but looks like a proper staying chaser who will be contesting in all the big contests in the Spring. Back in 3rd was Asterion Forlonge who has since a decent pot at Punchestown when carrying a heavy weight in a handicap.

He is currently sitting at around 40/1 and that seems big enough to have a small ew bet on. As for the others which I haven't mentioned, Waiting Patiently isn't the horse everyone hoped he would be, and that's down to the amount of injuries he's had. He's changed yards, but I don't think he's the same horse he once looked. Royale Pagaille was impressive when winning a Class 1 Handicap, but that might be what he is, a very good horse at carrying top weight in a handicap, but can't bridge the gap into Grade 1 company. Imperial Aura is an interesting runner, and is unexposed at this trip, but his odds are much shorter than ideal. Next Destination is also interesting based on his form with Galvin, but he also is short odds and can be passed.

Ascot 2:05

With the amount of pace on offer and the good ground, I think this could be set up for LOSTINTRANSLATION, who returns to the track with his yard in great form.

This horse was touted to be a Gold Cup horse, but for whatever reason it didn't quite click after he beat Bristol De Mai in the Betfair Chase at Haydock in 2019. Around the same time Colin's form dropped off big time, and it's only just recently started to pick up again, and I think that's down to Joe Tizzard being the main trainer now, and Colin is the trainer in name only, until the end of this season. The yard is absolutely flying, and his horses have been running extremely well when fresh, so the time away from the track won't be an issue for me.

I think it's an interesting tactic to drop him back in trip, as he has been campaigned as a stayer since winning that race at Haydock, and even though he does stay 3m+, I think he still does have the speed for this shorter distance. He should be fine on the ground, as his best form has come on good-to-soft, so even though this is quicker, it appears he handles it better than most.

There is a lot of pace projected in this race, with many horses liking to get on with things, so if they decide to take each other on for the lead and set a frantic pace, that should be suited to this horse, who stays further, and has the stamina for longer. Joe Tizzard believes he is still the same horse of old, and has been schooling very well, and he's excited for his run in this race.

Ascot 2:40

MOLLYS OLLYS WISHES comes into this race as the underdog, and you'd have to say rightly so, but I was very taken by her most recent run at Wetherby, and I think she can run a big race in this grade against the boys.

Buzz is the market favourite, and you can see why. He was progressive last season, and won the Newmarket Cesarewitch 42 days ago, so is still in good form. He is much shorter in the market than I was expecting, and now he's going up in trip on ground which isn't exactly ideal for him, I think he can be taken on.

Goshen is a live-wire to say the least, and still needs to brush up on his jumping, but if he handles the ground then he could be a big player. Gary Moore seems to think he'll need the run, and until he proves he can race economically, I will not be backing him.

Song For Someone won this last year, but is also another horse who will like it softer than today's conditions. He's a decent horse on his day, but not exactly a world beater, and can definitely be opposed.

Which leaves the selection, who won eased down in a mares race last time at Wetherby. That wasn't a seriously strong race, but she put it to be in the a matter of strides when Harry took the lead up on the final bend. I think that was a big performance over a trip which I'm sure is too short, so this longer trip should be up her street. Whether she is good enough in this grade, we'll have to see.

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