Cecil can achieve Gold in Haydock highlight

By Stephen, bettingexpert.com | Published 00:01 09.08.2012

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Henry Cecil's progressive Touch Gold is fancied to complete a hat-trick and land Haydock's Lordship Stud Supports Trc Handicap at 3.10 this afternoon.

The 3-y-o colt got off the mark at the fifth attempt in a fair Newmarket maiden in June and built on that with an emphatic handicap win at Yarmouth next time out. He was always travelling strongly there under a patient ride, and quickened impressively five lengths clear from the furlong pole. Predictably the assesor hasn't missed him and he will need to improve again in this better grade, but he is still unexposed and could well make up into a graded performer in time.

Main danger for the £10,300 prize money may come from Jedd O'Keefe's Satanic Beat. He won very gamely in deep ground at Ripon 31 days ago and that form got a big boost when the runner-up Dubai Dynamo bolted in next time. The 3-y-o proved decent ground was fine when winning at Pontefract in June, but will need to find more improvement from a career high mark upped in class.

Andalieb is still unexposed in handicaps and his latest hefty defeat is best excused in ground that was extremely testing. His Doncaster maiden win reads well and the David Simcock stable continues in decent form with a good strike rate.

Van der Art seems to have lost his way after a promising start to the season and returned tailed off last at Ascot 19 days ago, while Ellal has to proved he has trained on after disappointing on his sole start this term in April (worth a precautionary check in the market).

Perhaps Compton may be the one to outrun his odds for those hunting away from the front of the betting. Ralph Beckett's 3-y-o has just a Windsor win on debut to his name but has been quite highly tried since, and showed when fourth on his seasonal bow in the Brittania at Royal Ascot that this rating is well within his compass. He was sunk without trace in a bog last time out but that run is easily ignored and he could go very close with few riders in better form than Richard Kingscote.

In summary, a classy handicap with some progressive and in-form performers in opposition. Touch Gold showed a rare turn of pace in victory last time and looks destined to become a Group 3/Listed colt in time. At around 5-2 this morning he is worth a sizable win investment to defy the handicapper and complete a three timer.

Stephen's Thursday Nap Noble Bull 3.20 Brighton

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