5:00 Haydock
This Class 4 handicap over 1m2f42y at Haydock on soft ground brings together a field of 14 with a strong pace likely. The KTB Fit Scores are tightly bunched at the top, headed by Sharp Move on 62, with several others in the mid-50s, suggesting an open-looking race where course, ground and the anticipated pace collapse could prove decisive. First-time headgear on a couple of runners and various trip and surface queries add to the puzzle.
How the race shapes up
With two or more habitual front-runners in the line-up the pace is expected to be strong, potentially leading to a late collapse that would play into the hands of hold-up horses. Knight Of Glory and Freddie Steady Go are the types to make or contest the running from the middle draws, while the majority of the field, including the top three in the KTB Fit rankings, prefer to be held up and produce their effort late. The key question is whether the prominent runners can sustain the gallop or if the race will fall apart in the closing stages, suiting those coming from off the pace.
The KTB Fit ranking
-
1Sharp Move KTB Selection62/100
Sharp Move is a fair performer who showed useful promise when winning over this trip on debut but has been well below that level in both starts this year. First-time headgear is now applied and the yard's strong 25% strike rate at Haydock offers some encouragement. The trip looks suitable but the soft ground remains an unknown with only four career runs on the board. William Haggas and Tom Marquand team up with a combined record of 448/2090 (21%) and an A/E of 0.91, while the trainer posts a 25% strike rate at the track from 609 runs. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he should be well placed if the strong pace materialises as expected. The KTB Selection.
-
2Blue To Blue58/100
Blue To Blue is a fair 3-year-old who has won once from three runs at Haydock and arrives in reasonable form with a string of placed efforts this year. The step up to 1m2f asks a fresh question having been largely campaigned around a mile, while he has never tried soft ground so that side of things remains unknown. Trainer Ruth Jefferson has a solid 14% strike-rate here from 22 runs, though jockey David Allan sits on a modest 8% from a large sample at the track. Usually held up and producing his effort late with high confidence, he is drawn wide in 13 but could be ideally placed if the pace collapses late. Dropping in class should also help his cause.
-
3Nightsinwhitesatin55/100
Nightsinwhitesatin is a fair performer who has been knocking on the door this year with four seconds from his last five starts. He drops back from 1m4f to a trip he has won twice from six attempts and he has already shown he handles soft ground with a placed effort. Trainer Edward Bethell has a solid 18% strike rate at Haydock from 93 runs while the 5 lb claimer is too lightly raced here to judge. Usually held up and producing his effort late with high confidence from a low draw of 2, he looks sure to be in the mix if the race falls apart late on. The trainer and jockey combination shows 1/21 (5%) with an A/E of 0.31.
-
4Knight Of Glory54/100
Knight Of Glory is a fair 3-year-old who showed useful promise when winning on debut last season before failing to build on it in three runs this year. He steps up in trip for the first time today while wearing headgear for the first time, both fresh questions. The trainer has an 11% strike rate from 46 runs at Haydock and the jockey records 12% from 222 rides here. Tending to make the running or race on the pace with medium confidence, he could set or contest a strong gallop from draw 7. The combination of David Menuisier and Sean Levey reads 9/55 (16%) with an A/E of 1.48.
-
5Freddie Steady Go53/100
Freddie Steady Go is a fair performer who showed his best form when winning on soft ground over 1m1f last time. He has already placed over this course and distance on his only visit here and steps up in trip today for the first time. The trainer has a modest record at Haydock while jockey Tom Eaves has a solid 8% strike rate from a big sample of rides at the track. Tending to make the running or race on the pace with medium confidence from draw 4, he should be to the fore early. He holds a 1 win from 1 on soft and the yard and rider show 0/7 (0%) together.
-
6Storm Point53/100
Storm Point is a fair 3-year-old with solid recent form including two wins from his last four starts. He steps up in trip to 1m2f today for the first time, which asks a fresh question of him. The Ed Walker yard has a 20% strike rate at Haydock from 287 runs while the 3lb claimer has had too few rides here to judge. Usually held up with medium confidence and unproven on soft.
-
7High Point48/100
High Point is a fair performer who has won once from two starts at Haydock and holds a solid record on soft ground with two wins and three places from four runs. He steps up in trip today having won three times from six starts at this distance though his recent form has been patchy with just one win from his last six outings. The trainer has a 10% strike rate here from 138 runs while the jockey is operating at 7% from 120 rides. Usually held up with high confidence.
-
8Mehmas Champion48/100
Mehmas Champion is a fair performer on the balance of his five runs but has been well held in three starts this year. He drops back in trip to 1m2f having last run over 1m4f which poses a fresh question. Trainer has a solid 12% strike rate from 654 runs here while jockey posts an 11% record from 234 rides. Usually held up with medium confidence and unproven on soft.
-
9Night Patrol46/100
Night Patrol is a fair performer who showed useful form when winning a 7f maiden last summer before two modest efforts this year. He steps up in trip for the first time today which asks a fresh question, while the soft ground remains an unknown given the small sample. Trainer and jockey both have modest records at Haydock. Usually held up with high confidence.
-
10Pol Roger45/100
Pol Roger is a fair handicapper who knows his way around this track, having won once from six runs here. He arrives in solid nick after a recent win and has placed twice from six starts on soft ground, though he is yet to score on it. The trip is no issue with three wins from 23 starts at this distance, but the 5lb claimer is still seeking a first Haydock success from seven rides. Stepping up in class and usually held up with high confidence.
-
11It'sneverjustone42/100
It'sneverjustone is a fair performer who has been consistent enough without winning for a while and ran respectably on his only previous visit to Haydock. He handles soft ground and the yard's modest record here is offset by Hector Crouch's solid 19% strike rate at the track. Stepping up markedly in trip for the first time asks a fresh question of him. Usually held up with high confidence.
-
12Pomme Pomme42/100
Pomme Pomme is a fair performer who has won both starts at this trip and landed this track on her only previous visit. She has been largely consistent this year yet has looked a shade below her best on her last two outings. The trainer holds a solid 14% strike rate here while the jockey is on a 10% mark, though she remains unproven on soft ground. Tends to make the running or race on the pace with medium confidence.
-
13Pearl Eye41/100
Pearl Eye is a fair handicapper with a solid record here, winning three times from 11 runs at Haydock. He has shown enough on soft ground with two wins from eight starts and has won at this trip, though he is 0 from 10 in his last 11 runs at this distance. The yard's modest 4% strike rate at the track is a negative while the jockey has had too few rides here to judge. Usually held up with high confidence.
-
14Arcadian Nights40/100
Arcadian Nights is a fair handicapper who has won three times at this trip from 13 attempts and arrives in reasonable form after a string of respectable mid-division finishes. He has only run once at Haydock, finishing seventh, while his trainer operates at a 6% strike rate here from 90 runs. The horse has never tackled soft ground so that remains an unknown. Usually held up with high confidence.
KTB verdict
Sharp Move is the KTB Selection and can make his mark now fitted with first-time headgear for a yard that has a 25% strike rate at Haydock. He showed useful promise when winning over this trip on debut and the combination of the trip, the hold-up style and the likely strong pace should suit, even with the soft ground an unknown. Main dangers include Nightsinwhitesatin, who continues to knock on the door and has soft-ground form, and Blue To Blue, who knows the track and is well suited to a late-collapse scenario. Knight Of Glory and Freddie Steady Go may set the early fractions but need to prove they can see out the trip under the prevailing conditions.
KTB Selection Sharp Move
This is the narrative read of the 5:00 Haydock. For the live card — runner-by-runner stats, the full Fit Score breakdown and current odds — see the Haydock racecard. Every result we hold for the track is on the Haydock results & records page. New here? How KTB works explains the Fit Score and why we publish both.
Questions about this race
Which horse is unproven on soft ground but has the highest KTB Fit Score?
Sharp Move, rated 62/100, has no runs on soft.
How many of the top five in the KTB Fit rankings prefer to be held up?
Three of the top five – Sharp Move, Blue To Blue and Nightsinwhitesatin – are usually held up.
Which runner has won three times at Haydock and has a good record on soft ground?
Pearl Eye has won three times from 11 runs at Haydock and has two wins from eight on soft.
Who are the two most likely front-runners according to their run-styles?
Knight Of Glory and Freddie Steady Go both tend to make the running or race on the pace.
What is the trainer strike rate at Haydock for the yard of the KTB Selection?
William Haggas has a 25% strike rate at Haydock from 609 runs.
18+. Analysis and entertainment only — no guarantee of profit. KTB race previews are published for interest and are not betting advice. Only ever stake what you can comfortably afford to lose, and set your own limits. Free, confidential help: the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 (GamCare.org.uk); in Ireland, the GamblingCare.ie helpline on 1800 936 725. Self-exclude at any time via GAMSTOP.
More from Kickthebookies