ITV Racing Tips: Can Lostintranslation ease to victory at Haydock?
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ITV Racing Tips: Can Lostintranslation ease to victory at Haydock?
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All eyes will be on Haydock this Saturday as Lostintranslation bids to become only the fourth horse after Kauto Star, Cue Card and Bristol De Mai to win back-to-back renewals of the Betfair Chase.
Colin Tizzard’s star will face four rivals on Merseyside, including the aforementioned Bristol De Mai and Ladbrokes King George hero Clan Des Obeaux as he bids to write his name in the record books.
Can he do it? We’ve previewed Britain’s first Grade 1 of the season, plus the red-hot Betfair Exchange Stayers’ Handicap Hurdle and the Chanelle Pharma 1965 Chase in our ITV Racing Tips.
It’s difficult to see Lostintranslation getting found out in the Betfair Chase. Colin Tizzard’s charge won this contest from Bristol De Mai 12 months ago and has since confirmed that form with a herculean effort to finish third in the Gold Cup on his most recent start.
Clan Des Obeaux also finished well down the field at Cheltenham, and although the two-time King George winner warrants plenty of respect for his exploits at Kempton, he’s not won going left-handed since he tasted success at Haydock in November 2017.
That race was weaker than one of Ant & Dec’s jokes on I’m A Celeb, and at any rate, we reckon this is a stepping stone to a third King George on Boxing Day for Clan Des Obeaux, despite what trainer Paul Nicholls may say.
Taking all of that into account, it’s hard to see past the indomitable Lostintranslation, whose record in Grade 1 chases currently reads 11P3. That’s not bad by any stretch, and we reckon he’s the type to keep on improving against two rivals who have obvious limitations to overcome.
The yard and jockey Robbie Power are also in great form after combining for two winners at the November Meeting last week, and if they can work their magic again on Saturday, our traders could be forced to take the scissors to the 14/1 currently available about Lostintranslation for the Gold Cup.
You can make a case for any number of horses in one of the biggest betting races of the day, but it’s Kalashnikov who catches the eye for Amy Murphy. The 2018 Supreme runner-up is sent back hurdling here after three seasons over the larger obstacles, and he could be of interesting following a wind-op.
The seven-year-old saves his best form for tracks like this and has always shaped like a potential stayer. He has a devastating turn of foot to call upon at the finish and providing his jumping holds up as it always has, he makes for an interesting each-way contender back in this sphere.
2018 Champion Bumper winner Relegate is another who has the potential to go well if she can build on his fourth-place finish behind Sire Du Berlais in a Grade 2 at Navan on his reappearance, while The Jam Man rates as a real danger at the top of the market for Ronan McNally.
The seven-year-old is switched back to hurdles after landing a gamble in the Ladbrokes Troytown last month and will get the assistance of 5lb claimer Maxine O’Sullivan as he bids to overcome a mark of 148. Main Fact is another who deserves respect as he goes up in trip bidding to land a remarkable nine-timer.
Haydock specialist Silva Eclipse and the versatile Who Dares Wins are others to consider in a wide-open race.
Paul Nicholls has had more wins in the 1965 Chase over the last decade-or-so than we’ve had hot dinners.
The Ditcheat handler has won this contest on no fewer than six occasions since 2009, including with Politologue in 2018 and Cyrname in 2019. He runs Real Steel this time around, and even though he has to give weight to each of his three rivals, there’s every chance he’ll prove too good in a below-par renewal.
Second-favourite Imperial Aura might be progressive, but he can’t compete with Real Steel’s excellent sixth in the Gold Cup last March, where it looked for a time as though he could lay down a real challenge to Al Boum Photo.
The seven-year-old has won twice before on his seasonal reappearance and should be capable of a big effort this time around after being moved across the Irish Sea from Willie Mullins to Nicholls.
ITV Racing Schedule, Saturday 21st November
13:50 Haydock – Racing Only Bettor Handicap Hurdle
