Tizzard’s Alary Going For Gold At Haydock

If Ascot goes ahead on Saturday the clash of Un De Sceaux and Ar Mad will be a fascinating rematch but the Willie Mullins-trained challenger would be expected to frank the Tingle Creek form.

With little confidence of the Ascot meeting going ahead however, Haydock may well be the centre of attention and the track could be hosting a Gold Cup contender.

Tizzard’s Go For Gold
Alary is set to make his British debut having been bought by Alan and Ann Potts to run in the Gold Cup and Colin Tizzard is hopeful that he can make that ambition a reality as Alary lines up in the Peter Marsh Chase.

The heavy ground is a concern for the trainer but the seven-year-old should be used to that from his time in France when he was placed in Grade One company and if he is going to go on from here and be a big player in the Gold Cup with his stable companions Thistlecrack, Cue Card and Native River…

Alary should be able to defy top weight

…and beat the likes of Bristol De Mai and Definitely Red who look to be the biggest challengers.

Wolf On Trial
Haydock also host a Supreme Novices’ Hurdle trial in which it looks like Alan King’s Elgin is set to go off favourite and given that the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle looks an open contest at this stage, it’ll be interesting to see if a live contender can emerge from this Grade Two contest.

Elgin has been solid in winning his last two but…

it is Harry Fry’s ex-Irish point-to-pointer, Neon Wolf, that is selected to score.

The Ballyragget maiden winner made a winning bumper debut at Uttoxeter last month for Fry and backed that up on his hurdling bow at Exeter and he could be a real nice type that can put his rivals to the sword and stakes his claim for a tilt at the Cheltenham Festival opener.

The Old One
Going for three in a row in the Champion Hurdle Trial is The New One and while Irving managed to come back to form in the Fighting Fifth Hurdle, The New One is still running up to his form in this sort of company and it would be disappointing if he can’t make this a happy hunting ground again, although it’s hard to imagine any of these runners having a say against the likes of Faugheen, Annie Power or Petit Mouchoir in March.

Recommended Bets:
Neon Wolf (5/2) – 2.05 Haydock
The New One (2/1) -2.40 Haydock
Alary (4/1) – 3.15 Haydock

*Prices correct at time of publication.