Betfair Chase Day racing tips at Haydock on Saturday

Haydock racecourse stars this weekend amongst a busy Saturday racecard with the Grade 1 Betfair Chase.

Bravemansgame and Protektorat are the big favourites for the race while there's also the Class 1 Premier Handicap and a Grade 2 Novices' Hurdle as the promising opener.

• 1.50, Betfair Exchange Graduation Chase: Gaillard Du Mesnil 9/4
• 2.20, Betfair Handicap Hurdle: Emitom 14/1
• 3.00, Betfair Chase: Bravemansgame 6/4

The majority of the runners in this field prefer a bigger stamina test in and around 3m, with the likes of Gaillard Du Mesnil mostly running over 3m+.

Especially when featuring in the Grand National just a month after winning the Challenge Cup by over two lengths.

He did go over 2m5f twice last season, but each time was beaten by Mighty Potter.

It does mean, at his high mark he could be caught out by a faster horse but 2m5f at Haydock is still a tough stamina test and he should be up there at the finish.

Interestingly, Grey Dawning is the odds-on favourite despite only going over fences once in his career, which was last time out, when he finished just a couple of lengths behind Stay Away Fay.

It doesn't seem like he's going to be an odds-on shot unless his jumping is exceptional.

He's also entered in the Punchestown John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase on Sunday, where he's a 16/1 shot, over 2m4f.

Which is clearly not an issue for the grey gelding and should be sided with here to put in a big performance.

Pedigree suggests Crambo could be greater over 3m, stepping up from his prominent hurdle career between 2m-2m4f.

Slate Lane should still be improving, being quite unexposed still, for trainer Emmet Mullins, but is still at a tough mark here having gone off at 113 last time out and now goes off 14lb higher.

Bold Endeavour put in great performances last season including a fifth place in the Coral Cup Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham Festival.

But he consistently places in hurdle contests - including in each of his last four runs, despite winning over fences in January of this year.

Emitom finished ahead of Bold Endeavour last time out when he was second to Young Butler and he's only raced twice since March when beating Hyland over 3m.

He should be able to go well again here and is a nice each-way chance based on his latest performances.

Daryl Jacob has been confirmed to be the rider this weekend instead of Harry Cobden, and though many are wondering why it's down to Paul Nicholls having plenty of runners at Ascot on the same day as well.

So that won't be an issue coming here with a different jockey despite him being on board for every race under rules amounting to 18 with nine wins.

Another key point here is Shishkin and whether he opts for the Betfair Chase or 1965 Chase at Ascot, which is over 2m5f instead, where he's also the 5/6 favourite as opposed to 7/1 here.

Corach Rambler was obviously an incredible winner in the Grand National but he was so well handicapped for that as well as his Cheltenham Festival win in the Ultima.

But he's been upped 13lb for those victories and that showed on his first outing since when a never closer fifth at Kelso and it does happen where Grand National winners just take a little while to win again.

He faces a tougher time facing the 166-rated and 172-rated favourites who will be carrying the same weight.

Bravemansgame is still a great price considering his ability and even valiant placed efforts - but last winning in the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day 2022.

He was second to Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup but that horse is also on another level, but he should find this a touch easier if jumping fluently and performing like we have seen before.

It's argued he might have needed the run and that could be part of it but he just never looked like catching Gentlemansgame, who realistically could be another great chaser to follow for the season in the big meetings - as it was just his third attempt over fences.

All odds correct at time of writing

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