Haydock Park Tips: Quantum can make the next leap

With eight UK and Irish meetings taking place on Friday there's lots of racing action to cater for all tastes. Haydock's Flat card features seven races from 14:05-17:00 on ground forecast to be Good to Soft.

I've picked out a trio to follow for my Haydock Park tips for Friday, including an interesting David Evans-trained filly.

Today's Horse Races

14:05 – Young Fire @ 3/1

YOUNG FIRE was rated in the 100s in his pomp and is taken to belatedly capitalise off a mark of 63 in the mile apprentice handicap (14:05) on jockey Jack Doughty’s first ride for David O’Meara.

While the nine-year-old has been beaten by half a length off this mark the last twice, there are reasons to think he can get his head in front. Two starts back he bumped into the thriving Beylerbeyi when they pulled over three lengths clear of the third at Doncaster before a slow pace caught him out at Ayr in a bunch finish four days ago.

He squandered precious ground at the start and came from much further back than the first two did.

The last time Young Fire ran at Haydock he was victorious off 14lb higher 13 months ago, securing a fourth course success, and this can be the time it clicks once more for the veteran.

15:50 – Quantum Leap @ 5/2

QUANTUM LEAP is lightly raced for a five-year-old and can add a third career triumph in the 1m6f handicap (15:50).

Ed Bethell conjured a course-and-distance victory out of Quantum Leap on his third start and handicap debut off 82 last July and the son of New Approach is back on that mark.

Quantum Leap has been campaigned over shorter the last twice and produced a promising effort over 1m4f at Hamilton on his return 17 days ago to suggest another win is imminent.

That contest wasn’t strongly run and Quantum Leap would have surely won with a stronger test of stamina, coming from last to a fast-finishing second in the dash for home.

That suggests he is back in form and any improvement for the run would make him tough to beat.

16:25 – Gaiety Musical @ 4/5

Unless newcomer American Arrow is well above average, it is impossible to oppose GAIETY MUSICAL in the 7f maiden (16:25) for David Evans.

The daughter of Gregorian outran odds of 250-1 when second to a promising type on her debut at Leicester in June and outperformed market expectations again when she was thrown into a Carlisle Listed race next time, fading into seventh behind subsequent Falmouth runner-up Jabaara.

The selection was notably weak in the betting on her latest start back in novice company at Chelmsford, but still managed to split a well-bred Archie Watson-trained newcomer and an odds-on favourite when second there, and this represents a lovely opportunity for a first victory.

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