Declan Rix

Published 9.05 & 9.41 - all selections online

ADVERTISED (4:15 Haydock) has been a significant drifter in the Betfair Be Friendly Handicap since declarations, despite being a horse who comes here on the back of an encouraging run 15 days ago, but his price is now too big not to get involved with.

That market weakness is obviously a concern when the Grant Tuer-trained inmate appeared to have a nice chance immediately post-declarations, especially as the selection looks a well-handicapped horse based on his 2026 Newmarket comeback, which has had four subsequent winners, including Song Of The Clyde in the Listed Carnarvon Stakes.

On his next Newmarket start he was below par, a stumble coming out of the gates not helping him, before being tried in a big field, warm York sprint handicap, which he couldn’t dominate early.

He was then off for 69 days, maybe due to quick summer ground, but made a lovely reappearance dropped to 5f at Hamilton’s quick sprint track, splitting a pair of classy Jim Goldie handicappers and course lovers in Eternal Sunshine and Jordan Electrics. That appeared to show he has returned from his break in good order and could get back to the level of his earlier season Newmarket second.

If so, he is a big price, but the market weakness is obviously a concern. Maybe it’s due to the official heavy (soft in places) going description, but he has never struck me as a horse who wants quick ground given his choppy action. He’s also by a sire in Advertise who has produced plenty of soft-ground lovers while Advertised’s dam Miss Carbonia broke her maiden on soft and was much happier with juice underfoot.

His good early pace and earlier career conditioning over 6f and 7f could be a potent speed and stamina combination in today’s going, if handling it, while his draw in eight, closer to the standside rail looks a positive on Friday’s action at the course.

Today’s Best Odds On The Betfair Exchange Handicap (2:30 Haydock) is a valuable pot to the winner (£51,540), likely seeing plenty of connections roll the dice with some nice horses.

Both market leaders Galilean Quality and Mythical Bay back up after running in the Melrose Handicap at York 14 days ago, where the former likely didn’t have an easy race having been asked to make up far too much ground from rear, with the latter not looking in a great place mentally, despite a significant gamble, and running too keen.

If those to the fore in the market fail to fire, maybe Jessican Harrington’s Irish raider PIERRE GROSSE (2:30 Haydock) could pick up the pieces at the prices, having soft ground Irish form in the book, thanks to a fine effort in a Down Royal handicap (The Ulster Derby) back in June.

That effort showed he handled significant cut in the ground, maybe no surprise given his German distaff pedigree, his dam from the family of Leger winner Masked Marvel and Arc hero Waldgeist. A key trait of that Down Royal run was how lazy and behind the bridle he was, maybe not a bad weapon to have today on ground that will test stamina.

The son of Palace Pier has had two subsequent starts at the Curragh and at Ascot, beaten in a maiden back home before not being well-positioned in his latest start 28 days ago. While still a maiden, the form of that Shergar Cup run, and indeed his Down Royal effort, has thrown up winners, and with Keithen Kennedy back aboard claiming 5lb, he looks fairly treated in terms of weights and measures.

With the last time out cheekpieces off and a tongue-tie going on, he might outrun his odds having had a better prep coming into the race than some of the market leaders.

Finally, down at Ascot - live on Sky Sports Racing - GUILDMASTER (2:10 Ascot) looks a sporting play in the tote.co.uk Money Back 2nd Handicap (2:10), given he’s got the same form-line as hot favourite Heyzoom, but yet is a significantly bigger price.

Both come from the King George V Stakes handicap at Royal Ascot, a race working out incredibly well, but 6/4 (Heyzoom) vs 12/1 (Guildmaster) looks a big price discrepancy given there was only 3¼ lengths between them at the line, especially when you factor in a 6lb swing (4 lengths) in the weights in favour of the selection.

Indeed, nothing separated the pair one furlong out, but maybe it was understandable that the John and Thady Gosden-trained inmate wilted more in the final furlong given that he sat closer to the sound early gallop.

Today, however, Robert Havlin shouldn’t face as much pace pressure on the front-end and maybe a slightly more emphasis on speed could get him home, along with the swing in the weights.

A first-time gelding operation - along with a first-time tongue-tie - could also help about a horse who misbehaved on debut at Lingfield, today’s jockey commenting post-race that this son of Teofilo spent plenty time on his hind-legs, suggesting he had other things on his mind.

The Gosden yard won this race back in 2018 with First Eleven, who also contested the King George V Stakes at Royal Ascot, although he did take in another race in between. Hopefully it’s been a plan for the selection since his gelding operation back in mid-July, which horses need time to recover from.