Jaysella’s Saturday Selections for 5th September 2026

Jaysella’s Saturday Selections from Haydock Park & Ascot

Haydock Park

Betfair Backs Opinions Superior Mile Stakes (Group 3) 1.25
Hankelow (nb)
Well, it’s all about who copes with the ground here at Haydock Park after all that weather up here. Not much more in the forecast they tell me, but it’s as sticky as me Toffee Pudding ‘ere on Merseyside after the downpours we’ve had, and maybe Karl Burke’s Hankelow can cope with it best. After all, he was third in the Poule d’Essai des Poulains at ParisLongchamp back in May, so pretty well proven on deep ground in my book for that French Classic, and although the step up in trip in the French Derby and the Strensall Stakes at York didn’t work out, back to a mile here should help. I guess Richard Hannon’s Persica ain’t gonna be far away, and William Haggas’s Needle Match is unexposed, but Karl Burke’s won this the last two years, so Hankelow gets the vote.

Betfair Celebrates Bow Echo Ascendant Stakes (Listed) 1.55
Rocket Boy
Gotta be Marco Botti’s Rocket Boy for the Ascendant, though Marco Ghiani is gonna have to keep a lid on ‘is Soldier’s Call colt out of the gate. Last time out in the Stonehenge at Salisbury, he took off like a cat on a hot tin roof, with Marco trying his best to rein him in, but it were definitely a race of two halves as the penny dropped for Rocket Boy on just his second start, finishing like a train on the outer in the final 2 furlongs. Untried on this ground, as they all are realistically, so a bit of an unknown, but Rocket Boy looked to have something to me, so gets the big tick!

Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Handicap 2.30
Galilean Quality
Karl Burke is double handed here with Galilean Quality and Asia Force, and I reckon he’s got every chance of picking up the first of these big Handicaps at Haydock. I would guess I’ve got a marginal preference for Galilean Quality, who’s got Pontefract form on soft ground, and won’t be lacking for stamina after a fine second in the Melrose Handicap at York two weeks back, though it’s taken on trust he’s fully recovered from that. The other Spigot Lodge runner is Asia Force, who has got Will Buick getting the leg-up, and this Frankel gelding should be able to cope with this deeper ground, but I would be adding Andrew Balding’s Mythical Bay to my shortlist of three. Galilean Quality to justify the ante post favouritism and take this for in-form Karl Burke.

Betfair Exchange Old Borough Cup Handicap 3.05
Hermetic
My big gamble of the day this, cos’ I’m taking the chance that Ian Williams’ Hermetic can make the most of his featherweight to scoop the Old Borough Cup. Once again, it’s who is gonna cope with this this sapping surface, but at least Ian Williams has a bit of form in this race, and by Sea The Stars, enough in the breeding for me to feel confident. A few already declared non-runners on Friday, Jim Goldie’s Mountain Road, John & Thady Gosdens’ Valedictory and Sir Mark Prescott’s Synergism, so a bit of a reduced field. William Haggas’s Finalise must be the big danger but Yep, mind’s made up, my big gamble is on Hermetic!! Fingers crossed!!

Betfair Sprint Cup Stakes (Group 1) 3.40
Kind Of Blue (nap)
Horses for courses I reckon, and for that it’s gotta be James Fanshawe’s Kind Of Blue. I mean, second in the last two renewals, but its all gonna be about the ground at Haydock Park on Saturday, and that is where Kind Of Blue gets all the plus points to get it all together at the third attempt, with James Doyle back in the hot seat massive, after seeing him into second in the Minster Stakes at York’s Dante meeting. The Wathnan Racing second string is Ed Bethell’s Paborus, who should be fine on this ground, but maybe that’s not true for Clive Cox’s Coppull, who finally put it all together at Newbury last time, while I remain unconvinced about William Haggas’s highly rated Almeraq on this going. Yeah, Kind Of Blue to get to the winner’s enclosure at the third time of asking, with classy Almeraq making a race of it.

Ascot

Schweppes Handicap 1.40
Thunder Call
Let’s get things off to a winning start at Ascot shall we? – and Thunder Call’s the one to do that!! Played very late by Jerry Chau in the Shergar Cup Sprint here last time out, Thunder Call just ran out of track to catch Red Spells Danger under brilliant Saffie Osborne, but that were over 6 furlongs and now this Pinatubo colt is up to seven. The one to watch out for is Clive Cox’s Addison Grey, who finally got it all together in a 7 furlong race at Newbury last month, after promising so much this summer, annoyingly the first time this striking Havana Grey gelding didn’t get my vote! Drat!! Drat!! Double Drat!! and all that!! I reckon it’s between these two, but Thunder Call looked to be crying out for a return to this trip, so squeaks in as my choice. Reverse forecast looks a tempter though!

tote.co.uk Money Back 2nd Handicap (Heritage Handicap) 2.10
Heyzoom
Well, I can’t get away from Owen Burrows’s Heyzoom for this Heritage Handicap. Looking back at his run in the King George V Stakes here at Ascot’s Royal do, a race won by the impressive Enceladus under Ryan Moore for Joseph O’Brien, Heyzoom was a 3 length fourth, and Saffie Osborne gets back up to go three places better. Marco Botti’s Archers Bay won the Shergar Cup Classic here last time, but has to give Heyzoom 9lbs, which I reckon is enough to make the difference, while William Haggas’s Ancestor is one going the right way to make this a decent race. Hum Hah, lah de dar, Heyzoom come to my Vybz Kartel Party please? and win this feature for me ahead of Archers Bay!