Pellitory (3/1) took the 3:34 Betway Ashton Heath Handicap (Class 3, 7f) at Haydock by 3¾ lengths for Daniel Tudhope and David O’Meara – but the story for punters was Moonshine, the morning 15/8 favourite and a leg of our preview accumulator, who planted herself at the start and refused to race.
| Pos | Horse | Jockey | SP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Pellitory | Daniel Tudhope | 3/1 |
| 2nd | Crimson Spirit | Tom Marquand | 5/2f |
| 3rd | Christian David | Sean Levey | 3/1 |
| 4th | Yanifer | Oliver McSweeney | 12/1 |
Distances: 3¾ lengths, ¾ length, 2 lengths. Six ran; Wechaad was a non-runner. Time: 1m 27.53s. Going: good, good to firm in places.
The Race Story
With the well-backed Moonshine taking no part, the complexion changed before a yard had been run. Tudhope, completing a fine afternoon’s work for the O’Meara yard, had Pellitory handy on the favoured side, kicked for home over a furlong out and put the race to bed in a matter of strides.
Crimson Spirit, sent off the 5/2 favourite in Moonshine’s absence from the betting’s front rank, chased him home without ever landing a blow – a near-miss for the Kubler yard that would be avenged within six minutes at Newmarket. Christian David ran on for third ahead of Yanifer. For anyone holding ante-post slips on Moonshine, the money went with her under starter’s orders: bets lost, no run, no refund.
Tipster Accountability
Our Haydock preview made Moonshine the verdict and the final leg of its 15/1 four-timer – a bet that was already dead after Brighton View’s defeat in the 1:50 and Fallen Angel’s flop in the Dick Hern, and is now buried. The preview’s value poke New Image was never sighted. None of the tracked tipsters in today’s tipster review had a bet in the race.
Looking Ahead
Haydock’s finale, the 5:10 Betway Apprentice Handicap, sees the preview side with Suggy (13/8 in the morning) to “sign off the card for the getting-out stakes” on his first try on turf, with Phantom Watch the main danger at 9/2. Earlier Haydock results, including Calendar Girl’s shock in the Dick Hern Stakes, are on the site now.
