Haydock preview: Kerry Lads can triumph at Haydock today to provide trainer Lucinda Russell with some compensation for Strong Resolve's brave second in the Welsh National.
Until this season, it has been Kerry Lads who has been the Kinross-based handler's mainstay in long-distance chases, but the Scottish National runner-up has been overshadowed by the exploits of his stable companion.
As Kerry Lads has disappointed slightly so far this term, Russell has decided to switch the nine-year-old to the smaller obstacles for the Rectangle Group Handicap Hurdle.
It is a move that can pay dividends as the trip of just under three miles is sure to provide a stamina test with the going riding heavy.
Kerry Lads landed a novices' handicap hurdle over three miles in similar conditions at Carlisle in March and can resume winning ways today.
One horse definitely in form is Pure Mischief, who can follow up last week's Ludlow success in the betdirect.co.uk Handicap Hurdle.
A 7lb penalty is unlikely to stop Conor Dore's five-year-old, who had a bit more in hand over Sunnyarjun than the official margin of three-quarters of a length suggests.
A drop in distance can work the oracle for Tipsy Mouse in The Last Fling Chase, a race named after his ill-fated stablemate.
Tipsy Mouse steps back half a mile in trip after chasing home Merchants Friend on this track earlier this month and he is already twice a winner over the course and distance.
At Taunton, Only Vintage looks the best bet in division two of the Musgrove Leukaemic Group Somerset NH Novices' Hurdle.
The Henrietta Knight-trained four-year-old shaped as a horse with a big future when opening his account at Newbury in good style by four lengths from Moonstream a month ago.
Kingsgate Bay can continue his rich vein of form by completing a four-timer at Lingfield.
John Best's in-form gelding is seeking his third successive victory at the Surrey venue having begun his winning streak at Carlisle.
And he looks up to defying top weight and a 6lb penalty in the Littlewoods Bet Direct Nursery following his emphatic, two-and-a-half-length win over Just A Try last week.
Binanti ran well in defeat on his latest outing on this course and can go one better in the betdirect.co.uk Classified Stakes.
Although he had to give best by a length to Eccentric, Binanti came out of the race with credit and Pat Chamings looks to have found a golden opportunity for the four-year-old gelding to strike.
Elzees has yet to bother the judge in three runs but David Elsworth's three-year-old can change all that by coming up trumps in the Bet Direct On At The Maiden Stakes.
After finishing down the field on the first two occasions, Elzees returned from a three-month break by shaping very encouragingly when fifth to Ticero over the course and distance a week ago.
