Andrew Asquith had an 8/1 winner last week and returns with two more selections for Haydock on Saturday.
Weekend View: Saturday May 24
1pt e.w. Afentiko in 1.50 Haydock at 12/1 (1/4 1,2,3,4 General)
1pt win Diamond Rain in 2.25 Haydock at 11/2 (Sky Bet, Paddy Power)
There is the potential for some rain to fall at Haydock on Saturday, but if the forecast is right we’re still going to be looking at no worse than good ground, with the prospect of some good to firm in the description also likely.
It should be perfect racing ground with that in mind and the first race which takes my eye on Saturday’s card is the Betfred Silver Bowl Handicap. Initially, it was Teroomm who topped the shortlist, representing the same connections as Saddadd, who did this column a favour in the London Gold Cup last weekend.
However, he’s been priced up about right, currently vying for favouritism at around 6/1 and, while he is probably on a good mark now starting out in handicaps, I like the form of AFENTIKO, who is double his price.
He ran a cracker on his debut when runner-up to Symbol of Honour over six furlongs at Lingfield (turf), that rival showing the benefit of his debut experience, and he has since progressed into a smart performer, not beaten far in the Coventry later in the season, but more recently winning twice at Meydan before recording an impressive success in Listed company at Newbury last weekend.
Afentiko still looked raw when going one place better at Windsor next time and was far from disgraced when attempting to give 4lb to the now-smart Detain at Kempton afterwards. That rival has also boosted the form, defying a penalty on his return at Chelmsford and beaten just over two lengths in the French 2000 Guineas earlier this month.
Afentiko easily defied a mark of 83 to make a winning start in nurseries at Kempton soon after and was beaten only half a length in a Listed event at Bordeaux in October last year, given a positive ride and finding plenty in front on his first try at a mile, only to be reeled in close home by the fast-finishing winner.
I’m willing to forgive his final start in the Horris Hill, as that was run in dreadful conditions, and Afentiko was one of the first beaten, clearly not handling extremely testing ground.
Paul & Oliver Cole haven’t had many runners this year, but are operating at a 26% strike rate, and have had three winners from seven runners in May at the time of writing, so the yard is clearly in rude health. Afentiko has another option at Goodwood on Saturday, but his pedigree suggests he’ll be better off at a mile or further this season, and the fact William Buick is pencilled in for the ride at Haydock can only boost confidence.
He's 10lb higher in the weights than for his last start in a handicap, but he’s a nice type physically, a good-topped colt with scope, and he has the potential to develop into a smart three-year-old, while some of his form lines are pretty strong.
The Betfred ‘Nifty 50’ British EBF Hedge of Oaks Stakes has the potential to be an excellent renewal looking at the entries and plenty are already jocked up which is very encouraging.
I was a big fan of DIAMOND RAIN on her first two starts last season and I’ll be backing her to get her career back on track. She created a great impression when making a winning debut over a mile on the round course at Ascot around this time last year, given a patient ride, still having plenty of ground to make up two furlongs from home, but staying on well down the outside under mainly a hand ride to beat Shaha, who was impressive next time and recently won a Listed race at Goodwood.
The step up to a mile and a quarter suited Diamond Rain well at Newbury next time and she showed much improved form to beat Ejaabiyah by two and a quarter lengths, looking a really smart prospect as she went clear in the closing stages.
That performance resulted in connections supplementing her for the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot for which she started 3/1 second favourite and, while she ultimately proved a let down, she clearly didn’t give her running on that occasion, failing to settle and never able to get involved.
The fact that she wasn’t seen for five months after suggests something may have been ailing her that day and she ran much better when last seen in a Listed event at Doncaster in November.
That race was won by Estrange, who is shorter in the betting than Diamond Rain for this, but it came on ground which Timeform described as heavy, and Charlie Appleby’s filly didn’t appear to relish it as much as the winner having travelled better than most before finding less than looked likely.
Diamond Rain is also 3lb better off with that rival now and will be back on a sounder surface while, interestingly, Estrange’s only disappointing effort last season came of fast ground, so it may be she needs cut in the ground to be at her optimum, which can be the case with the progeny of Night of Thunder.
A lightly-raced, tall, good-topped filly, Diamond Rain has all the attributes to progress further this season, perhaps significantly so, and she isn't far off the standard setters on what she's already shown, anyway. Furthermore, Appleby is operating at a 40% strike rate this month, and he's a dab hand at bringing unexposed four-year-olds along nicely (he has a 21% strike rate with four-year-olds in his career to date).
Preview posted at 1445BST on 20/05/2025
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