Haydock Grand National Trial Day Betting Tips

There are two Grade 2s and two Listed races on Haydock's excellent Saturday card, and that is not to mention the feature race. The Grand National Trial is an extremely competitive race, not to mention a serious test over 3m4½f on likely heavy ground.

Here are tips for all eight races on Haydock's last big fixture of the winter.

1.02pm – Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Mares' Hurdle (Listed, 2m3f)

A week ago, YOU WEAR IT WELL was a short-priced favourite for a mares' hurdle at Warwick, which was lost due to the wet weather. Now she runs here instead, in a race that will still be on testing ground. You Wear It Well has become a reliable type since landing the Dawn Run Novices' Hurdle at last year's Cheltenham Festival and, now she is dropping in grade, she should have too much for her four rivals here.

Selection: You Wear It Well

1.37pm – Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Handicap Chase (2m4f)

This one could be the nap of the day. Many of the runners here are getting on in years, are hard to rely on or are running over an inadequate trip. You might put REGAL BLUE into the last of those categories based solely on his last run, which came over 3m5f at Lingfield, but he did not stay that day and the time before he was a good second over this very course and distance. He has generally made a positive start over fences, proving himself in very testing ground in the process, and does not appear to have much to fear from this field.

Selection: Regal Blue

2.10pm – Virgin Bet Victor Ludorum Juvenile Hurdle (1m7½f)

A race that is probably as simple as the market makes it look. Before Sir Gino turned up and got everyone so excited, SALVER was among Britain's better prospects for the Triumph Hurdle. He won the Finale at Chepstow, a former Grade 1, by 21 lengths on Welsh Grand National day, taking his record for Gary Moore to three wins from as many runs. He may be playing for place money come the Triumph, but he should have no problem winning this.

Selection: Salver

2.40pm – Virgin Bet Rendlesham Hurdle (Grade 2 - 3m½f)

An ostensible Stayers' Hurdle trial that has attracted only one horse with an entry for that race, and Botox Has can be backed at 66-1 for the Cheltenham Festival contest.. He has claims here, but RED RISK is weighted to beat him on terms that are 2lb better than when the two of them met in Wetherby's West Yorkshire Hurdle in November. Red Risk saves her best for soft ground, so her somewhat disappointing run in the Long Walk last time can be forgiven. She can get one over on her old rival here.

Selection: Red Risk

3.15pm – Virgin Bet Grand National Trial Handicap Chase (3m4½f)

At Ascot, it often pays to race on the front. For that reason, you would be reasonable in saying that YEAH MAN might have won both the races Victtorino won at Ascot this winter had he been moved up from the back of the field sooner. He has definitely shaped as though a longer trip will suit, while the fitting of cheekpieces should help him too. Gavin Cromwell has farmed a lot of these staying handicap chases in Britain this season. The fact he did not enter Yeah Man for a suitable race at Ascot on Saturday is a strong suggestion that he has his eyes firmly on winning this valuable prize.

Selection: Yeah Man

3.50pm – Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (3m½f)

The equivalent race to this one at Warwick five weeks ago is already working out well. Runner-up Kyntara was just touched off at Newbury last week, while third-placed Shallow River won the qualifier at Exeter the following day. Ahead of them both at Warwick was J'AI FROID, who from a rating of 129 would probably need to win this to book his place in the final at the Cheltenham Festival. Put up just 4lb for winning that red-hot race at Warwick, he can do just that.

Selection: J'ai Froid.

4.25pm – Albert Bartlett Prestige Novices' Hurdle (3m½f)

With the Grand National weights out on Tuesday, long-term National hopeful Latenightpass is here to protect his chase mark and unlikely to be at 100 per-cent fitness. Instead, ISAAC DES OBEAUX can take this Grade 2 back to Paul Nicholls' Ditcheat yard for the second successive year. His dam is a half-sister to Clan Des Obeaux, so this horse's potential for further is pretty clear and he has been shaping like a three-miler himself over shorter distances. He is proven on heavy ground, too.

Selection: Isaac Des Obeaux

4.55pm – Virgin Bet Daily Price Boosts Walrus Open Hunters' Chase (2m6f)

This is a fair trial for the Hunters' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. None have done the double of late (Bob And Co was going quite well when unseating at Cheltenham three years ago), but plenty have gone off among the market leaders. It looks like FIRAK has been aimed at a spring campaign, having come into his own as a hunter chaser at that time of year in 2023. He handles soft ground and his rider Sean O'Connor has a good relationship with him. He is also a half-brother to Virak, who won three times at Haydock including this race in 2018.

Selection: Firak