It looks like an interesting weekend racing with the jumps and the flat crossing paths. At Haydock the Challenger Series finals take place and I will be holding back on too many bets until I know how the ground is riding. It sounds pretty testing at the moment but I suspect warmer conditions could dry it out quite quickly. If it isn't too bad then I think SALSADA has a sound chance at a big price in the 2 mile handicap hurdle. Brian Ellison has always held this mare in high regard but he has rarely had the opportunity to run her on a sound surface. She has a touch of class so represents value at 20/1 if the ground is good.
Up at Musselburgh I expect INDIVIDUALISM to take a lot of beating in the opener. This is a race that the Johnstons like to target and Finns Charm was a winning tip for this column last year in this race. A well related son of Too Darn Hot he ran ok as a two year old without winning but the yard's runners tend to improve hand over fist from two to three and I expect this lad to have made good improvement over the winter also. This wouldn't be the strongest renewal of the race and if Joe Fanning can steal the lead early then I expect him to take some catching.
I expect the warm favourite in the next to also take some beating. POET MASTER looks like a very unexposed 4 year old who could progress further this year now connections have found his optimum trip. He made huge strides in a short time last year and Karl Burke has been noted saying he was only a light frame horse last season so there should be more to come as he gets older. This could be his last appearance in a handicap so anything above 2/1 looks fair.
In the feature race at Musselburgh, it is hard to ignore the favourite CHILLINGHAM who created a good impression last year as a four year old. A big handicap like this certainly looks within his remit this season and I'm sure Ed Bethell will have him ready to take this at the first time up. If he doesn't then I expect outsider FAYLAQ to run a big race at 25/1. Not quite the force of old last season, he still showed in patches that he has the ability to do some damage off a mark of 83. He looks to have been lined up for a big run in this and Amie Waugh takes off a valuable 5lbs.
Haydock 2.05 – Salsada
Musselburgh 1.50 – Individualism
Musselburgh 2.25 – Poet Master
Musselburgh 3.35 – Chillingham / Faylaq
