Racecards
14:25 Haydock Park
Birchley Handicap (Class E) (Class E)
- 17 Runners
- Distance: 1m 30y
- Going: Good, Good to Soft in places
- Form 00-3000
- Age 5
- Weight 10-0
chased leader, led over 4f out, ridden over 2f out, headed inside last, soon weakened
- Form 006010
- Age 4
- Weight 9-11
- Trainer R Hollinshead
- Jockey N Callan
chased leaders, ridden over 2f out, every chance over 1f out, no extra entering final furlong
Fair Spin
15- Form 04000-0
- Age 4
- Weight 9-7
- Trainer M D Hammond
- Jockey Tony Culhane
mid-division, outpaced over 4f out, ridden and headway over 2f out, stayed on inside last when not clear run
- Form 101-302
- Age 6
- Weight 9-7
chased leaders, ridden over 2f out, no extra inside final furlong
- Form 021-660
- Age 5
- Weight 9-7
slow away, behind, ridden and headway over 2f out, not much room and struck by rival's whip inside last, stayed on towards finish
How's Things
131- Form 11223-6
- Age 4
- Weight 9-7
- Trainer D Haydn Jones
- Jockey Paul Eddery
in touch until weakened over 2f out
Zawrak (IRE)
40- Form 03-6301
- Age 5
- Weight 9-4
- Trainer I McInnes
- Jockey Natalia Gemelova
towards rear, switched right over 3f out, some headway over 2f out, soon weakened
Parnassian
11- Form 331305
- Age 4
- Weight 9-2
- Trainer G Balding
- Jockey S J Drowne
behind, ridden and headway on outer over 1f out, edged left inside last, ran on to lead towards finish
- Form 4-00545
- Age 7
- Weight 8-12
- Trainer N Tinkler
- Jockey Kim Tinkler
mid-division, ridden over 2f out, every chance over 1f out, weakened final furlong
- Form 1-00000
- Age 4
- Weight 8-8
- Trainer T H Caldwell
- Jockey P Makin
behind, ridden over 2f out, kept on same pace and never dangerous final furlong
- Form 02-3200
- Age 12
- Weight 8-7
- Trainer E J Alston
- Jockey Willie Supple
mid-division, ridden and headway over 2f out, led briefly inside last, kept on towards finish
Gemini Lady
21- Form 420-020
- Age 4
- Weight 8-4
- Trainer Mrs G Rees
- Jockey G Duffield
mid-division, ridden over 2f out, soon weakened
- Form 223342
- Age 5
- Weight 8-4
- Trainer I McInnes
- Jockey J F McDonald
in touch, ridden and headway over 1f out, stayed on when hampered inside last
- Form 00-0306
- Age 4
- Weight 8-2
- Trainer J S Goldie
- Jockey J Mackay
led until headed over 4f out, weakened over 2f out, soon eased
- Form 00-0000
- Age 6
- Weight 7-12
- Trainer G & J Moore
- Jockey B Swarbrick
chased leaders, ridden over 3f out, weakened over 1f out
In depth
Verdict
Cases can be made for a few of these but Mallard would not need to better the performance he put in a Lingfield in mid-week by much if he were to lead home the likes of Apache Point and Parnassian in a race that is rich on quantity but is lacking in quality. Zawrak, who can be a bit of monkey, is another to consider if the best of his form is taken into account. But he cannot be relied upon to give his all and his 5lb higher mark could find him out here. Prince Of Gold is another that has recent winning form to his name and will have his supporters if his last-time-out blip is written off as a minor blip. This surface should suit him better though and it will be dangerous to rule him out completely. The market will give the best indications in this area and, like the majority of the rest, it may be prudent to wait and see if there is a solid move for him in the ring before getting involved today. However, Mallard is well treated in comparison to his all weather rating and he will be hard to beat if he turns up in the same frame as mind he was in on Wednesday. The likely strong pace should help his cause today and Mallard is fancied to gain compensation for his narrow defeat three days ago.