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Saturday 8th June - Haydock Park and Chester

With the ability to take a small breather from our blistering flat season this weekend it seems we have the bread and butter type weekend, and value is certainly to be found amongst a host of competitive heats. However, its the calm before the proverbial storm as not too far on the horizon awaits the international carnival of racing from Royal Ascot which no doubt will spring to life for the jewel in the crown of our top level thoroughbreds and what a potential magical week we have to look foward too.

 I've selected three horses for tomorrow's racing, read on...

14.05pm Handicap (Class 2) 2m 45f An extremely tricky start to proceedings and clearly many of these are perilously close to being within the handicappers grip, it can also be said that on handicap marks alone there really isn't much between them. With that in mind I think I may have found a bit of value and if my selection can bounce back to his last two runs of last year and run to a mark of 87/88 then he could well be in with a chance. DAZINSKI hails from the Mark Tompkins yard and the trainer is starting to find his feet this season and has booked the talented Neil Callan to take the ride. DAZINSKI is proven over the trip and I have no stamina doubts on good to firm ground, that can't be said for a few of these particularly at the head of the market. Indeed he won on good to firm ground back in August of 2011 at York and followed up with a 2nd and 3rd at the back end of last season over the 2 mile trip. His recent second in June of last year was a valient attempt in which he stayed on well but couldn't reach the winner, on that day he finished in front of Palazzo Bianco who lines up again here for Brian Ellison formerly with John Gosden and I think he could be his main danger but DAZINSKI with ground in his favour, trip not a problem and track experience I believe this one could go under the radar and is worth putting up at a nice each way price.

15.15pm The John of Gaunt Stakes (Group 3) 7f Back down in trip to a distance I have always seen and believed to be a specialised distance, the ability to travel then turn of the boosters to accelerate and show a good turn of foot is whats needed. This is competitive but I've always believed that PASTORAL PLAYER is more a 7 furlong horse than at any other distance. He won this very race last race in terrific style and the quality is very similar. Obviously my selection isn't in the form of his life but it usually takes him a few runs to find his feet. The trainer has had a positive start to the season and with Graham Lee in the saddle I expect a big run on ground that he relishes. He's being fitted with the blinkers first time which I believe will help and he was extremely unlucky and never had the chance to run to his merits after being stopped, pulled up from the inside, witched outside but lost momentum. PASTORAL PLAYER is my idea of a 7 furlong specialist.

15.50pm Cecil Frail Stakes (Fillies Listed) HOYAM who is trained by the astute Michael Bell could arguably be better over the 5f instead of this 6f test, however, getting the weight to age allowance and showing electric speed in her last run only to be touched off by a smart Irish raider Scream Blue Murder who has solid form when losing to Maarek by under two lengths. HOYAM has been highly tried at the top level and amongst this group of fillies I'm certain she will take all the beating.

Good Luck if your having a punt.

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