Saturday tips from Timeform analysts at Haydock, Hexham and Killarney

TELLHERTHENAME - 13:15 Haydock (Dan Barber)

No prizes for originality but identifying a potentially long-term Skelton plan to target a big handicap has been just about the most rewarding system around all spring. Tellherthename might have been expected to have the County Hurdle as his Cup Final this season but, in hindsight, that was his first start for the yard and the way he shaped from a poor position - closing well amidst trouble in running whilst barely leaving the bridle - suggests connections will have learnt a lot from that stable debut. Tellherthename has alwaus had bags of speed and ability, which he can highlight on the big stage here under conditions that ought to allow him to shine (edited)

ZGHARTA – 13:45 Ascot (Greg Spink)

There are a few returning fillies in this that should kick on as 4-y-os this season, not least Andrew Balding’s Zgharta. She ran well in three high-end handicaps at major festivals last summer, including here at the Royal Meeting, and with her final effort of her 2025 campaign easy to strike a line through (met repeated trouble down the inside in Listed company at Saint Cloud), she’s fancied to resume her progress with her handler in red-hot form, this straight mile suiting her hold-up run-style down to the ground, too.

BARBURY BOY - 14:30 Haydock (Rory King)

It may have been only a 0-60 Barbury Boy won at Beverley on his handicap debut but it was a really well-run one and looks form to follow. What’s more, Barbury Boy was probably value extra over the bare result having had to weave through horses, the one with whom he came a long way clear having enjoyed a much clearer run, while there was tons of money for him that day. His yard goes from strength to strength as a Flat outfit and is in particularly good nick, while it seems significant that Rossa Ryan heads to Haydock for just 2 rides on the mixed card (the other being a biggish price in the listed race) when he could surely have had more rides at one of the other Flat meetings.

DASH OF AZURE - 14:40 Lingfield (David Johnson)

This doesn't look the strongest of Group 3s and I fancy Dash of Azure to make a successful step up in grade. She progressed well in competitive handicaps last year and was very unfortunate not to win a listed race at Ascot last autumn, meeting trouble before flashing home. That form makes her as good as any of these and although recent hold up tactics would be a concern given this race set up, she won at Kempton when ridden prominently early on last year and a return to those sort of tactics will hopefully be deployed back in this smaller field.

PRINCIPALITY - 15:25 Nottingham (Patrick Jupp)

Principality is now lower in the weights than when winning a competitive 3-y-o handicap at Glorious Goodwood last summer, despite holding his form well after that success. He made a perfectly satisfactory return when mid-field in the Spring Mile at Doncaster, too, travelling smoothly for a long way before leaving the impression the outing was needed, and now drops into a significantly less-competitive affair. He should get things run to suit his hold-up style, with plenty of prominent racers in the line-up, and he looks a solid selection for a yard that have been among the winners of late.

O'MOORE PARK - 16:45 Killarney (Billy Nash)

One with a record of 0 from 12 over fences wouldn't normally be considered 'banker' material but I'm willing to make an exception in the case of O'Moore Park. He has plenty of solid efforts over fences to his name, including when shaping a bit better than the bare result on his last two starts at Cheltenham and Aintree respectively, and this represents a significant drop in class. He has been dropped a few pounds by the handicapper and three and a quarter miles around a tight track like this should be right up his street.

EASTERN STORM 17:05 Hexham (Kieran Clark)

Unbeaten in four points following a breathing operation since last seen under Rules, the Heart of All England has probably been the long-term plan for locally-trained Eastern Storm. His point-to-point form is extremely strong, particularly his defeat of Fumey d'Oudaries on his penultimate outing, that Gina Andrews trained rival having won its other 8 starts in that sphere. He tuned up for this when beating former Supreme winner Summerville Boy and, having been freshened up after a six-week break, looks the one to beat.

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