It is another super Saturday of racing action, and our horse racing correspondent, Jonathan Doidge, has been analysing the Haydock card to bring you the best betting opportunities. All tips come from Haydock Park, where the racing promises to be as hot as the weather on Temple Stakes day.
Langstone (Haydock, 14.20) – 1pt each-way @ 8/1 (bet365)
The bookmakers likely have the right favourite for the Silver Bowl Handicap in Princling, who looks fairly treated on handicap debut. However, the same applies to my suggestion, LANGSTONE, who is available at a far more attractive price on betting sites. Clive Cox has trained the winner of this race twice in the past seven seasons, so he knows the type to succeed here, and it is a fair bet he has had this race in mind for the gelded son of Mayson since his seasonal reappearance ended with a win at Doncaster over 7f on good to soft ground. He followed up successfully at Kempton over 7f on Polytrack, defying a penalty in the process, and the return to slow turf and step up to 1 mile can help bring about further improvement. He looks very backable at an each-way price to see how he handles this company.
Asfoora (Haydock, 15.30) – 1pt each-way @ 6/1 (William Hill)
One of the calendar's traditional big sprints for older horses, and I think ASFOORA looks to be a very good each-way bet on horse racing betting sites, while she has a clear chance of winning if back near her best. I took her on with Quinault in the Palace House Stakes at Newmarket last time and, as it turned out, was right to do so but with the wrong horse. However, this time around and with that run under her belt, she can show much more of what she is capable. Statistically, that recent effort was her worst performance since a Flemington Group 1 in November 2023. The Prix de l'Abbaye is much better than that, as she showed in that Longchamp contest last October, and while her career best efforts have been on quick ground, she has shown she can act on pretty much anything, including the soft that is forecast at Haydock. She does not have to win this for us to make a profit, but she has a good draw one off the rail, and if things drop right, she certainly has the ability to land this prize on route to the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Humble Spark (Haydock, 16.05) – 2pt win @ 6/1 (BOYLE Sports/Ladbrokes)
While Pole Star is well treated on his best form and I have no problem with the layers taking few chances with a runner from a stable that has won this twice in the last decade, I think HUMBLE SPARK is a cracking bet here. Jim Goldie is a fabulous trainer of racehorses who rarely gets the credit he deserves, mainly because his yard is not packed out with big names, but do not let that fool you. I love the way he campaigns his horses and always run the rule over them in any field. So, while Humble Spark may not have won on turf since the summer of 2024, there are reasons to believe that the six-year-old can end a losing run of six turf starts since then. For starters, his career best turf form came when he finished runner-up to Caballo De Mar over this course and distance on good ground a year ago. In addition, he comes into this very well treated, now 6lb lower than 12 months ago, despite three of his four turf runs since being within a few pounds of that course form. His latest Hamilton effort was his worst of those four but came over 1m3f, which you can argue is short of ideal. The return to a marathon trip from this mark and with 5lb claimer Lauren Young on board can see him get his nose in front again. He is priced up so you can have an each-way bet to nothing on betting apps if you prefer.
Rhoscolyn (Haydock, 17.15) – 1pt each-way @ SP
This may not be at his beloved Goodwood, but RHOSCOLYN has won around here on fast ground, and the prevailing soft going at the Lancashire track should see him come into his own. Some of his better performances (and most of his winning ones) have been on soft ground and over 1 mile, so he already has those factors in his favour. Throw in a current official handicap mark of 93 (he has recorded four of his ten wins from higher marks), and he is going into this race well treated. I would not worry about his latest effort either. He had started the season as well as could be expected with a good performance to be fifth in a 7f conditions event at Thirsk on good ground. He then returned there for the Thirsk Hunt Cup over 1 mile on good to firm ground and was beaten 6 lengths at 22-1, so there were never any great expectations. He drops back from Class 2 to this level on Saturday, is eased 1lb by the handicapper, has a decent pitch from stall four, and in this field, he could bounce back to his best. The only real concern is the recent form of the David O'Meara runners, but that will be factored into his price.
Free Horse Racing Bets
Each Saturday, Virgin Bet runs a money-back offer on one of the races shown on live ITV Racing that day. This week, that race is the 13.25 at Goodwood. If you decide to have a wager on that race and your selection does not win, you will receive your stake back in free bets. There is no need to opt in to the offer; just place a wager on the race, and if your selection does not win, you will receive a free bet refund, up to a maximum of £10. Only the win part of any each-way bets will be credited back to Virgin Bet punters.
Gamble Responsibly
If you are having a bet on this weekend's racing, it is vital to practice responsible gambling. Betting can be addictive, and it is important to stay in control of your gambling, whether you are using online bookmakers, casino sites, slot sites, bingo sites, or any other gambling platform. Never treat gambling as a way to make money, never bet more than you can afford, and when the fun stops, stop. Gambling sites offer punters tools, like deposit limits, profit and loss trackers, and self-exclusion options, to help you stay in control. Try not to get carried away by free bets or casino bonuses, which are widely available on gambling apps. But if you ever feel like you need help or advice on gambling addiction, do not hesitate to contact one of the charities or organisations below: NHS Help, GamCare, Gamblers Anonymous. We may earn commission from some of the links in this article, but we never allow this to influence our content. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent. We aim to offer every online gambler and reader of The Independent a safe and fair platform through unbiased reviews and offers from the UK's best online gambling companies. Gambling can be addictive, always play responsibly, and only bet what you can afford to lose. Gambling sites have a number of tools to assist you to stay in control, including deposit limits and time outs. If you think you have a problem, advice and support is available for you now from BeGambleAware or Gamcare. Any offers or odds listed in this article are correct at the time of publication but are subject to change. Terms and conditions apply to all offers.
