Racing tips: A light weight will help Deep Sigh cut through the soft ground at Haydock

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Sunday is quite a busy day for racing, with the Sunday League program continuing at Haydock. If that doesn't tickle your fancy, then you have international Group racing in France and Germany where there are British runners.

Haydock 5:45

By the time of racing on Sunday the ground conditions will be extremely testing, so you want to have a horse who will be able to handle the conditions, hence why I like the look of DEEP SIGH. This horse dug deep last time at Doncaster on heavy ground, which is two benefits of backing this horse, as you know she is a battler, but also handles the stamina sapping conditions. Though the form of that race hasn't exactly worked out, I don't think it's too much to worry about as this filly is still lightly raced and is still low in the handicap.

This filly recently went up 2lbs for her recent win, which puts her on a mark of 70. A 2lb rise in the weights shouldn't be an issue, this stronger level of race will be the hardest factor for this horse, but when you consider she is running off 7st 11lbs when you take the jockey's 5lb claim into consideration, she must have a cracking chance. Saffie Osborne is a superb apprentice, and is a rider who is fully worth the 5lb claim, and the fact she can take that off a horse is a big help, especially in today's conditions. It is ideal to be carrying a featherweight on heavy ground, which is another benefit if you decide to follow me with backing this horse. Ffion who is the top rated horse in the race, and holds very good claims, will need to concede 25lbs to Deep Sigh, which is definitely a big ask.

This is a bigger field, and although she won a four runner race last time, this larger field could help her progress. She appears to be a filly who stays the 1m well, so with a larger amount of runners, the pace could be better, which will see her stamina put into play. Obviously, they won't go a rapid pace on heavy ground, as that would be ridiculous, but hopefully, they don't go a total crawl.

NOW A NON-RUNNER (HAYDOCK ABANDONED) 

Deauville 2:50

Due to Haydock being abandoned, it would be rude not to put up a selection, and with the ground now being described as ‘Very Soft' at Deauville, it definitely makes BRANDO look overpriced. Brando is a horse I was waiting to back for the Champions Sprint Stakes at Ascot at the end of the calendar, as he is always huge odds for that race, but gets the soft conditions to suit, and has a nice pace to aim at, resulting in him always running a big race. However, today's race is a race he has previously won, so he evidently handles the track, and he will get soft ground, and should get a good pace to aim at, coming from Campanelle and Glen Shiel.

This is obviously a very competitive race, and the sprinting division has definitely been the best division for flat racing this year, as it is so competitive and most of the horses in the race have a chance of winning. At the prices, it appears they are writing Brando off yet again, and I'm willing to play a small EW bet on him. There is a chance he will be outclassed by some of the younger horses, but if they don't fire, you best believe this lad will be running on late in the race to pick up the pieces. He didn't run too badly in the July Cup, where he went off at odds of 150/1, finishing 2.75 lengths behind Starman. Though he has won on fast ground before, at this point in his career, that ground was probably too quick for him, and that is echoed by his jockey, Tom Eaves: “He ran really well at Newmarket on ground that was probably a little quick for him. It was nice to see him back on song. The softer the ground the better for him, he's won and been placed in this race (Today's race) and if he has a nice pace to run at he should run well.”

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