Snake Could Strike At Haydock

Nuclear Power ran a nice race earlier, but unfortunately it wasn't nice enough to reward each way support. He looked a bit worked up as they were circling behind the stalls and I wonder if he is a little bit coltish. If he doesn't improve next time it could be bye bye balls and handicaps for poor old Nuclear Power.

One trainer that has really caught fire in the last week is Karl Burke. He is firing in winners all over the place and he obviously has his string in fine fettle. He will be a nervous man tonight as his star filly Quiet Reflection goes in the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock for top syndicate Ontoawinner. It is a hot contest but she gets weight from most of her rivals and she is my idea of a solid each way bet. You can read an in depth preview of that race here at Bettingtools.

Burke has a much bigger priced horse in the closing race at Haydock, a class 4 7f 3yo handicap to be run at 5.30. Firesnake, a 9 race maiden, sneaks in near the foot of the handicap off a mark of 74, with young Jordan Vaughan taking off another handy 5lb. This gelded son of Dandy Man spent his 2yo season with Tom Dascombe, and he showed plenty of promise with a couple of 2nds on the all weather at Wolves, including off 77 when beaten just over a length last October.

He returned to action this season with a less than impressive effort on his first run for Burke at Nottingham (8.5f soft) off 77 but the ground and trip were valid excuses that day. He stripped a lot fitter for that run and looked to appreciate the return to quicker ground at Hamilton (6f), staying on really nicely late on for 4th at odds of 40/1, beaten just over 2L for the win. My Amigo was a just over length ahead of him in 3rd and he won his next start off a mark of 80. Keep an eye on the 4.20 as a pointer too as the winner of that race, Dodgy Bob, takes his chance off 82.

He steps up to 7f tomorrow and his best career runs have come over that trip. He has had just 4 starts on turf so he is relatively unexposed and his half brother, the ill fated Haven't Got A Scooby, improved plenty from 2 to 3. Now there is no doubt that this is a stronger heat than his last race, and there are a few last time out maiden winners in the field that could be anything. However, Firesnake has had a lot more races than the majority of his opponents and that experience could count to him in the rough and tumble of a big field handicap. I think he is worth chancing for small stakes each way at odds of 28/1 in this very competitive handicap.

STEVOS' SELECTION: 5.30 HAYDOCK: FIRESNAKE E/W 28/1