Haydock — 3 September 2026

Class 5 · 1m3f140y · Soft · 13 ran

We passed. Likely winner: Flightofthephoenix (10/3)

Won by: Star Start (IRE) at 5/1 · then Spirit Catcher (IRE), Alpine Sierra (IRE)

What we said: Flightofthephoenix looks the classiest form in the race off the back of two facile wins, but she's never raced on soft in 14 runs and today's ground is easing further with more rain forecast, while Star Start, Austrian Theory and Recobella all arrive with legitimate recent form of their own at broadly similar fair prices; too many ways for this to go wrong to back the springboard horse into unknown ground.

Class 3 · 0m7f212y · Soft · 9 ran

Not a bet. The horse we made most likely: Burning Up (8/13)

Won by: Burning Up (GB) at 4/9F · then Hands To Yourself (IRE), Under Arrest (GB)

What we said: Unbeaten so far and already proved himself over this exact course and trip with a facile win last time, and the step up to Class 3 looks well within his compass given the calibre of the opposition around him. The only doubt is a first look at soft ground, but with no deep-form rival in the field to match his proven C&D superiority, the case still stands.

Class 4 · 0m6f212y · Soft · 7 ran

We passed. Likely winner: Flying Pirate (11/8)

Won by: Flying Pirate (IRE) at 5/4F · then Maliqui (IRE)

What we said: Flying Pirate looks the classiest on form (a win followed by a competitive 3rd of 11) but he's off a 65-day break carrying first-time cheekpieces and steps up in trip onto soft ground he's never truly proven himself on, while Reflect On Glory turns up unbeaten-last-time but has never raced on anything worse than good in two starts — too many first-time questions on the two market leaders to split them with confidence, and nothing below them offers a case strong enough to fill the gap.

Class 5 · 0m6f212y · Soft · 12 ran

Our bet: Green Titan (9/2)

Won by: Diplomata (GB) at 5/1 · then One Shot Kodi (IRE), Gerry's Darling (GB)

What we said: the only runner in this field carrying an actual placed run on this going (going 2 from 1 run) while every rival is stepping into soft blind, and first-time cheekpieces plus the quickest recorded early pace figure let him dictate on ground that will only get testing. His trainer's course record (26% strike, a/e 1.15) backs up a training pattern that looks to have him spot-on for today.

Class 3 · 0m6f0y · Soft · 8 ran

Our bet: Sharadd (2/1)

Won by: Sharadd (IRE) at 1/1F · then Al Arraab (IRE)

What we said: William Haggas and Tom Marquand combine for a strong course record here (T@course 25% a/e 1.10, T+J combo 21%), and this looks the type of well-bred, professional operation that Haggas often has spot-on for a soft-ground debut/early-season run. The market's respect for this yard-jockey pairing at Haydock gives a touch more conviction than the raw price alone.

Class 3 · 1m2f42y · Soft · 7 ran

We passed. Likely winner: Hoseki (11/8)

Won by: Hoseki (IRE) at 5/4F · then Hollywell Stream (IRE)

What we said: Hoseki is clearly the best form horse in the race, with three wins in her last four completed starts and support from a top yard, but at 11/8 she is priced almost exactly where that form deserves and there's no fresh angle — soft ground switch, pace shape, anything — that pushes her chance meaningfully above what the market already has right; the rest of the field (Star Cast, Hollywell Stream, Polygram) are each live but none stand out enough to build a case against the favourite.

Class 4 · 1m2f42y · Soft · 14 ran

We passed. Likely winner: Storm Point (5/2)

Won by: Mehmas Champion (IRE) at 80/1 · then Pol Roger (IRE), Night Patrol (IRE)

What we said: Storm Point heads the market at 5/2 but arrives without a run on soft in seven starts and last time only managed seventh of twelve, while Nightsinwhitesatin's placing string (-24222) is metronomic but shows no recent win, Pol Roger comes off a course-and-distance victory yet at a price close to fair, and Pearl Eye's course figures are patchy (a/e 0.43) — four or more of these hold genuine but comparable claims with nothing decisive separating them, and with rain forecast to ease the ground further the soft-surface question mark hangs over half the field.