1:30 Haydock
This Class 5 apprentice handicap over 1m6f at Haydock on soft ground brings together eight modest performers in the latest leg of the Racing Excellence Training Series. The KTB Fit scores are tightly bunched at the top, with Gentle Warrior heading the numbers on 56, followed closely by Dream Harder on 52, Yellow Card on 51 and Easwrith Destiny on 47. Most of the field are held-up types, which becomes significant given the expected pace shape.
How the race shapes up
The pace shape points to a lone leader with high confidence, suggesting Cascade Hall can dictate matters up front with little to challenge him early. The remainder of the field are predominantly held-up runners who will be looking to produce their efforts from off the pace. This uncontested lead could prove difficult for the closers to overcome on soft ground, making the ability to stay the trip and handle the conditions while closing the gap the key question the race poses.
The KTB Fit ranking
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1Gentle Warrior KTB Selection56/100
Gentle Warrior is a modest performer who has won once from two runs at Haydock. He steps up to this trip for the first time in a while having scored twice from seven attempts at the distance overall. Only one run on soft ground so far and that produced no win or place. Dropping in class is a positive and the trainer's 12% strike rate at Haydock with an A/E of 0.93 from 769 runs offers some encouragement. The jockey has no record at the track which is rated neutral. Usually held up and producing his effort late, he will need the race to fall right given the uncontested lead up front.
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2Dream Harder52/100
Dream Harder is a modest performer who has been in and out this year. He showed a bit more when fourth over C&D on his latest run here but that was on good ground and his record at this trip remains modest with no wins from four starts. The trainer's modest 5% strike rate at Haydock with an A/E of 0.67 from 91 runs adds little encouragement. The jockey has no record at the track which is rated neutral. He has a 1 win from 3 on soft with 1 placed and usually races held up, producing his effort late.
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3Yellow Card51/100
Yellow Card is a modest performer who has been largely out of form this year and drops back in trip from a recent 2m4f run. He has only one previous try at this distance without success and showed little on his sole soft-ground start. The trainer holds a solid 8% strike rate at Haydock with an A/E of 1.02 from 12 runs while the 3lb claimer is making her debut here. Usually held up and producing his effort late, though the confidence in that run-style is only medium. No course form on record.
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4Easwrith Destiny47/100
Easwrith Destiny is a modest performer who has shown mixed form across four runs, finishing second on one occasion but struggling to build on that. He stays this trip without having won at it and the small sample leaves going preference unclear, though he has placed once from once on soft without winning. The trainer has a solid 10% strike rate here with an A/E of 0.9 from 48 runs. Usually races handily on or close to the lead, which could be an asset against the lone leader. No course form on record.
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5Dance Time42/100
Dance Time is a modest performer who has shown a bit of spark at this trip, winning twice from ten starts, but has failed to build on a placed effort last time. He has run twice here without winning, finishing third on his most recent visit, and is zero from two on soft ground. The trainer's modest 5% strike rate at Haydock from 169 runs adds little confidence. Usually held up and producing his effort late.
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6Zimmerman40/100
Zimmerman is a modest performer who is 2 from 5 at this track and has won twice over today's trip. Recent form shows a win and a second in his last three starts so he arrives in reasonable order yet he is now dropping back from 2m on soft ground where his record reads just 2-14. Trainer Tim Easterby has an 8% strike rate with an A/E of 0.74 from 1563 runs here while the jockey has no recorded rides at Haydock. Usually held up though the confidence in that run-style is only medium.
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7Expressionless39/100
Expressionless is a modest performer who has been consistent enough without winning for a while, finishing no worse than fifth in three of his last four starts. He has placed on his only visit to Haydock and holds a solid record on soft ground with two wins from nine starts. Stepping up to this trip poses a fresh question though he has won over it three times from 14 attempts. Usually held up and producing his effort late.
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8Cascade Hall33/100
Cascade Hall is a modest performer who has been consistent enough this year without winning. He drops back from 2m2f to a trip where he has placed once from one attempt, and he has shown he can be competitive on soft ground. The trainer's modest 4% strike rate at Haydock from 360 runs is a negative. Tends to make the running or race on the pace and looks set for an uncontested lead.
KTB verdict
Gentle Warrior is the KTB Selection. He has won once from two runs at Haydock and steps up to this trip for the first time in a while having scored twice from seven attempts at the distance overall. Dropping in class looks a positive and his course record gives him a clear edge over most of these. The main dangers are likely to be Easwrith Destiny, who can race prominently in a race with only one front-runner, and Zimmerman, who arrives in reasonable order with a strong record at the track. The soft ground and held-up run-styles for many add layers of uncertainty to the outcome.
KTB Selection Gentle Warrior
Morning odds
Best available price per runner, captured 00:01 UTC, 4 Sep. These are a morning snapshot and will have moved — see the live racecard for current prices.
| Runner | Morning price | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Gentle Warrior | 4/1 | 7Bet |
| Dream Harder | 10/1 | 7Bet |
| Yellow Card | 17/2 | Midnite |
| Easwrith Destiny | 18/1 | Bet365 |
| Dance Time | 4/1 | William Hill |
| Zimmerman | 7/4 | 7Bet |
| Expressionless | 25/1 | Bet365 |
| Cascade Hall | 17/2 | Bet365 |
This is the narrative read of the 1:30 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 expected to take the uncontested lead?
Cascade Hall, who tends to make the running or race on the pace with high confidence in that run-style.
How many wins has Gentle Warrior recorded at this trip overall?
Two wins from seven attempts at the distance overall.
What is Zimmerman's course record at Haydock?
2 wins from 5 runs at this track.
Which trainer has the highest strike rate at Haydock among those represented?
K. R. Burke with a 12% strike rate at Haydock and A/E 0.93 from 769 runs.
Which runner has the best soft-ground record in the field?
Expressionless with 2 wins from 9 on soft and 2 placed.
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About the A/E figures in this preview. They are the data supplier’s: the winners a trainer or jockey had, divided by the winners the starting prices implied, over the runs in that record. Above 1.0 means more wins than the prices suggested. It is not KTB’s fair A/E, which allows for the bookmakers’ margin and the favourite–longshot bias, and the two are not comparable.
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