MOON DANCE

Beckett star stayer should waltz to Haydock victory stepping up in distance

MOON KING should thrive for the chance to tackle two miles for the first time in the Betway Handicap (2.15) at Haydock this afternoon.

The Ralph Beckett-trained son of Sea The Moon went from strength to strength to rack up a five-timer in the first half of 2019, following two scores at Wetherby with successes at Nottingham, Haydock and Chester.

On his final two outings, Moon King wasn’t disgraced in big-money handicaps here and at York, and, competing beyond a mile and six today, gets the vote for a winning return.

Earlier at Haydock, (1.15) looks on a workable mark in the Betway Heed Your Hunch Handicap (Div I).

The winner of a novice event for fillies at Beverley on her fourth start at two, Kevin Ryan’s daughter of Dutch Art ran an excellent fifth to Graceful Magic in a nursery over an extended six furlongs at Doncaster’s St Leger fixture in September, and a 2lb nudge up the weights should not prevent a bold show back at the minimum trip.

A course-and-distance hat-trick is on the cards for in the Sandon Handicap (4.10) at Chelmsford.

Twice victorious on turf for trainer Stuart Williams in 2019, Tone The Barone has taken well to the Essex Showgrounds, following a six-length victory over five furlongs there in February with a cosy halflength call under a penalty five days later.

There is a further 5lb rise in the handicap to deal with, but

Silvestre de Sousa’s mount should prove up to the job.

George Boughey has made a flying start to his training career, a n d Hugo Palmer’s former assistant is taken to saddle to another victory in Chelmsford’s Broomfield Handicap (1.30).

The six-year-old was prolific at Southwell before coronavirus intervened, registering three successes and a second from four forays to Rolleston.

But Kieran Shoemark’s partner has form on Polytrack as well as Fibresand – he scored at Lingfield on the surface last August to give Boughey his first-ever winner – and it will be a surprise if there isn’t further progress to come.

On Lingfield’s late-afternoon card, the Queen’s is taken to motor home in the Betway Handicap (7.20).

The royal runner is two from two in the care of William Haggas, adding to a Newcastle win at the beginning of November with a follow-up at Wolverhampton 17 days later.

A handicap mark of 85 looks within range as the gelded son of Oasis Dream starts life in handicaps.

The concluding Betway Live Casino Handicap (8.20) gives

a good chance to supplement his three-quarter-length supremacy over the same course and distance 89 days ago when he got the better of Huddle.