3m½f (3m58y) Albert Bartlett Prestige Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 2) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+)
It’s going to be attritional stuff at Haydock on Saturday but one who looks like he has the right constitution for it is UBATUBA for Olly Murphy. He has hosed up on two occasions at Leicester on deep ground and barely came off the bridle in each. Those runs were both over 2m 4.5 furlongs, but the way Ubatuba finished off those races despite showing signs of greenness suggests he should improve materially for the step-up in trip.
The other one that looks to have plenty of potential here is WHISKEY YANKEE who was unfancied but ran a huge race to win on debut in a fairly hot novice contest at Ascot. Sam Thomas has been on fire this season and I would have imagined was just keen to get a run into this relative to Ed Keeper. But the way he settled and stayed on to win against match-fit rivals was notable. With any level of normal improvement, he could be interesting here and I fancy him to put in a big performance.
1pt win Ubatuba @11/2, 1pt win Whiskey Yankee @8/1, 14:40 Haydock, Saturday
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