September 28 / 17.00 Haydock

17.00

Soft

Watch On Racing TV Handicap

  • Prize money: £6700.71
  • 1m 6f 1y
  • Class 4
  • 7 runners
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Watch On Racing TV Handicap

Runners: 7 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Scattered showers

6/1 (Won)

  • Win: £5.00
  • Place: £2.50

Form: 446

Last run: 103 days

W: 8st 3lb

3 yo Gelding

OR: 65

Form & Verdict
His first three races were in the mud (1m4f, 1m2f and 1m1f) this April-June; needs to better that form but he's brother to a German 12.5f/1m3f winner and looks a possible improver now switched to a handicap; needs checking in market.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

13

10th Apr 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 103y

Class 2

17:15 Aintree

Melon

11st 3lb

J: Toby McCain-Mitchell

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

Two juvenile hurdle wins last winter; reappeared with a good third of 11 in handicap at Cheltenham (2m1f, good to soft) in December and bounced back quickly from a lesser effort at Windsor when chasing home the reopposing Rubber Ball at Newbury (2m, good to soft) in February.

16/1

2nd

6

28th Feb 2026

Good To Soft

2m 0f 69y

Class 3

14:10 Newbury

Melon

10st 11lb

J: Jonjo O’Neill Jr

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

2-4 in juvenile hurdles (including a win on soft) and reappeared with a good third of 11 in handicap at Cheltenham (2m1f, good to soft) in December; claimer ridden when disappointing at Windsor six weeks ago but could bounce back.

7/1

8th

13

16th Jan 2026

Soft

2m 0f 0y

Class 2

15:35 Windsor

Melon

10st 10lb

J: Michael Kenneally

T: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero

2-4 in juvenile hurdles last season (including a win on soft) and he reappeared with a close third of 11 in a handicap at Cheltenham (2m1f, good to soft) last month; open to improvement and has an each-way shout up 2lb.

12/1

4/1

  • Place: £2.50

Form: 111311

Last run: 29 days

W: 9st 6lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 74

Form & Verdict
Usually ridden by Molly Gunn; won six of his last eight races, the last two over 1m4f on heavy at Ffos Las; not proven beyond that but he's not been stopping and the 8lb rise since latest start might not prevent another win, given the style in which he's been asserting and another small field today.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

1

(4)

28th Mar 2026

Good To Soft

1m 2f 43y

Class 5

17:15 Doncaster

Three Dons

10st 0lb

J: Myla Coppins

T: Tony Carroll

Multiple Flat wins at 1m-1m4f, including on heavy; unable to make a significant impact on the Flat last autumn but he's run with credit over hurdles in recent months and is well treated back on the level (6lb below his last winning mark); considered.

10/1

2nd

4

9th Feb 2026

Heavy

1m 7f 156y

Class 4

16:30 Catterick

Three Dons

11st 7lb

J: Craig Nichol

T: Tony Carroll

Multiple Flat wins at 1m-1m4f, including on heavy; switched to hurdling late in the day but he's taken surprisingly well to this game, running two good races at Leicester (extended 1m7f; soft and heavy), and may well improve for this easier stamina test now handicapping; thereabouts.

4/1

3rd

11

20th Jan 2026

Soft

1m 7f 113y

Class 4

14:32 Leicester

Three Dons

11st 8lb

J: Nick Slatter

T: Tony Carroll

8-46 on the Flat; left it rather late in the day to launch his hurdling career but went down fighting over C&D (soft) just after Christmas and has a good chance if in similar form again.

9/2

Form: 150679 D

Last run: 37 days

W: 9st 6lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 74

Form & Verdict
Disappointing favourite in this race last year but he does stay the trip and acts on heavy going; Thirsk in May saw his first win since 2022 but he's underperformed on last four outings; the last two were admittedly on AW and he's back to that last winning mark.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

2

(6)

19th Oct 2024

Soft

1m 5f 192y

Class 5

13:30 Catterick

Dark Jedi

10st 2lb

J: Morgan Cole

T: Tim Easterby

slowly away, held up in rear

9/1

5th

4

(9)

5th Oct 2024

Soft

1m 5f 218y

Class 4

17:05 Redcar

Dark Jedi

9st 9lb

J: Sean Kirrane

T: Tim Easterby

slowly into stride, held up in rear, no impression from over 2f out

12/1

3rd

4

(4)

28th Sep 2024

Soft

1m 6f 1y

Class 4

17:00 Haydock

Dark Jedi

9st 6lb

J: Duran Fentiman

T: Tim Easterby

Disappointing favourite in this race last year but he does stay the trip and acts on heavy going; Thirsk in May saw his first win since 2022 but he's underperformed on last four outings; the last two were admittedly on AW and he's back to that last winning mark.

6/1

Form: /1-450 C

Last run: 14 days

W: 10st 0lb

8 yo Gelding

OR: 82

Form & Verdict
Has mostly run well when at Haydock; as good as ever to win at Catterick (1m4f, heavy) last October on first start for 528 days; not disgraced in his next three starts (one over hurdles) but ran badly at Chester on latest; wore cheekpieces once (2022) and they now return in place of his usual hood.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

2

(2)

28th Sep 2024

Soft

1m 6f 1y

Class 4

17:00 Haydock

Goobinator

10st 0lb

J: Paul Mulrennan

T: Donald McCain

Has mostly run well when at Haydock; as good as ever to win at Catterick (1m4f, heavy) last October on first start for 528 days; not disgraced in his next three starts (one over hurdles) but ran badly at Chester on latest; wore cheekpieces once (2022) and they now return in place of his usual hood.

14/1

11th

12

(12)

14th Sep 2024

Heavy

1m 7f 196y

Class 2

14:40 Chester

Goobinator

8st 2lb

J: Andrew Mullen

T: Donald McCain

As good as ever to win at Catterick (1m4f, heavy) last October on first start for 528 days and not disgraced in his only three starts since (one over hurdles); just 1lb higher than at Catterick and he stays well, with today's first run at this track looking quite interesting too.

12/1

5th

11

(4)

25th May 2024

Soft

2m 0f 46y

Class 2

15:30 Haydock

Goobinator

8st 12lb

J: Andrew Mullen

T: Donald McCain

C&D winner in 2021 and good fifth in this race in 2022; as good as ever to win last October (1m4f, heavy) on first start for 528 days and he wasn't disgraced at Pontefract (2m2f, heavy) early last month, but he may find that one or two others are better handicapped.

20/1

Form: 735362

Last run: 16 days

W: 10st 2lb

5 yo Gelding

OR: 84

Form & Verdict
Three French wins on good to soft in 2022; probably acts on soft; 0-11 in Britain but he's down the weights and there's plentiful evidence this season that he can be competitive, including placed efforts over 2m and 1m4f on two of his last three starts; player.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

3

18th Jul 2026

Good

2m 1f 46y

Class 3

15:10 Cartmel

Percy Shelley

11st 11lb

J: Lilly Pinchin

T: James Owen

Runner-up (albeit no match for winner) off today's mark at Uttoxeter (2m4f, good) in May and didn't run badly on the Flat (1m6f) last month; could yet have a bigger effort in him over jumps but this drop back in trip may not be in his favour.

8/1

6th

3

(9)

13th Jun 2026

Good

1m 6f 0y

Class 4

17:07 Sandown

Percy Shelley

9st 8lb

J: Oisin Murphy

T: James Owen

Three Flat wins in France in 2022 (1m1f-1m3f); two hurdle wins last year (one a walkover) and he didn't run badly when fourth of seven, beaten 2l, at Goodwood last month on his return to the Flat (2m, good; 5-2 joint favourite); Oisin Murphy booked; contender.

100/30

2nd

7

24th May 2026

Good

2m 3f 207y

Class 2

15:28 Uttoxeter

Percy Shelley

11st 6lb

J: Jonathan Burke

T: James Owen

Three Flat wins and he's 2-5 over hurdles; competitive in both disciplines since returning from a break and this scenario is ideal for him.

10/1

Form: 323311 C

Last run: 23 days

W: 9st 1lb

3 yo Filly

OR: 77

Form & Verdict
Hasn't finished out of the first three in nine starts since handicapping, with three wins including when the cheekpieces went on for last two outings; penultimate start was on soft ground (unraced on heavy), latest was a gutsy performance at this track and it looks as if she will stay beyond 1m4f, so she needs plenty of respect.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

8th

4

(10)

13th Jun 2026

Good To Soft

1m 4f 63y

Class 4

17:12 Chester

Free Speech

9st 3lb

J: P J McDonald

T: Sam England

Three-time winner who didn't get the breaks when sixth on her stable debut at Newcastle at the start of May and she went down narrowly at Wolverhampton (1m4f, AW) 17 days later; these conditions should be fine and she warrants consideration.

6/1

2nd

1

(6)

18th May 2026

Standard

1m 4f 51y

Class 5

21:00 Wolverhampton (AW)

Free Speech

10st 2lb

J: Silvestre De Sousa

T: Sam England

Three wins for Ed Dunlop; sold for 5,000gns last October; denied a run on several occasions on her stable debut at Newcastle (1m2f, AW) 17 days ago; will be suited by the step back up in trip and not out of this.

6/1

6th

5

(4)

1st May 2026

Standard

1m 2f 42y

Class 5

17:20 Newcastle (AW)

Free Speech

9st 8lb

J: Oisin Orr

T: Sam England

Patchy during a limited campaign last year for Ed Dunlop; wins as a 3yo came on soft turf and this trip looks a bare minimum for her new yard on comeback.

16/1

OUR TIP
7th
3 (5)
Graphite

16/1

Form: 3-6720

Last run: 16 days

W: 9st 13lb

10 yo Gelding

OR: 81

Form & Verdict
Veteran whose last win was in August 2021; second off a career-low mark at Wolverhampton (1m6f, AW; second run since wind surgery) on penultimate start but he's lightly raced on turf these days and has not made a significant impact in this sphere for a long time.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

7th

3

(5)

28th Sep 2024

Soft

1m 6f 1y

Class 4

17:00 Haydock

Graphite

9st 13lb

J: Luke Morris

T: T J Kent

Veteran whose last win was in August 2021; second off a career-low mark at Wolverhampton (1m6f, AW; second run since wind surgery) on penultimate start but he's lightly raced on turf these days and has not made a significant impact in this sphere for a long time.

16/1

11th

2

(8)

12th Sep 2024

Good

1m 3f 197y

Class 3

17:50 Doncaster

Graphite

9st 10lb

J: Ray Dawson

T: T J Kent

dwelt start

20/1

2nd

5

(8)

1st Aug 2024

Standard

1m 5f 219y

Class 3

20:15 Wolverhampton (AW)

Graphite

9st 6lb

J: Daniel Muscutt

T: T J Kent

Veteran who is on a three-year losing spell, has something to find on 2024 efforts and has stamina to prove back up in distance; enough reasons to oppose him.

16/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £28.90
Straight Forecast £27.44
Trifecta £159.60

Selections

NEWMARKET:

Free Speech

SPOTLIGHT:

Three Dons

The Times:

Melon

POSTDATA:

Percy Shelley

RP RATINGS:

Goobinator

Daily Mail:

Melon

Daily Mirror:

Free Speech

The Star:

Free Speech

Daily Record:

Free Speech

D Express:

Percy Shelley

Telegraph:

Three Dons

The Guardian:

Three Dons

The Sun:

Three Dons