DOUBLE HANDFUL

FOLLOWING the most unprecedented general election in my lifetime it’s clear that many questions face us as a nation. But those questions can wait, as of now my immediate concern is who will win the 4.05 at Haydock — otherwise known as the John Of Gaunt Stakes.

Actually there is another question I’d like to ask, does anyone fancy joining my javelin team?

I’m just throwing that out there…

I already backed BRETON ROCK earlier in the week, safe in the knowledge that rain would result in a few withdrawals and his price would subsequently shorten.

Amazingly the first stage of my plan has happened. However, I believe David Simcock’s soft-ground specialist still represents good value.

The seven-year-old gelding has won a third of his 27 races, with eight of them coming on ground described as good to soft or heavy.

His last run, when finishing third to the uber-impressive Ribchester in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes — as tipped in this column — was a solid performance. Ribchester is a classy beast and described as “the best horse I’ve ever trained” by Richard Fahey. He’s the short-priced favourite for the Queen Anne (again I’m on ante-post) with some justification. Breton Rock reverts back to his optimum trip today on his favoured ground and at a course he has won before. Mitchum Swagger’s price has also been slashed from 8-1 to 4-1, primarily on the premise that the five-year-old relishes conditions soft underfoot. But he finished well behind Breton Rock at Newbury last time out, with the benefit of a run under his belt. Ryan Moore has been booked for the ride, so connections must be optimistic. However, having failed to win in his last 10 starts I certainly wouldn’t want to be on him at around 4s. Richard Fahey’s Growl is best over six furlongs, so the main danger could come from Jallota.