Dave Nevison's top Saturday tips: Rely on Surprise package

12.40 Haydock: Defuture Is Bright

The days of getting big prices about Christian Williams-trained chasers in marathon handicaps are probably well and truly over, but Defuture Is Bright looks another likely winner – and with a very similar profile to last weekend’s nap selection, Strictlyadancer.

Indeed, Defuture Is Bright finished behind his stable companion at Cheltenham last time and definitely hinted at better to come after making improvement too late in the day to get involved. He has been dropped 3lb for that effort and now finds himself off bottom-weight here, with Jack Tudor’s claim still a positive.

Defuture Is Bright ended last season with his best run, and that was at this track. He looked certain then to be suited by these real staying trips and he’s only 2lb higher now. The stable are clearly in form and a good run looks assured.

1.15 Haydock: Our Surprise

He has only gone up 3lb for an excellent second at Wetherby last time on handicap debut. After two runs this term, Our Surprise should be spot on for this event now that his stable have hit top form.

He should confirm running with Mackenberg - third at Wetherby but 10 lengths behind and now on 3lb worse terms - but it is the application of the hood the may be the big differential. Our Surprise just needs to calm down and relax a little, but he looks the ideal type for Haydock which suits horses ridden up with the pace.

If the hood works - and we should get a look at him going down to start on Racing TV or Racing TV Extra - I feel this horse could have plenty in hand off his mark and could be a good thing here.

2.25 Haydock: Bass Rock

For my money, it looks like Sandy Thomson has a good young staying hurdler on his hands – and it seems unlikely that Bass Rock will not run a good race here given his form figures in this extra-place handicap.

He signed off last season with a win in good style at Ayr and came back from a summer break and a wind operation with an impressive win from useful yardstick Teescomponents Lad (beat one of mine this week).

Bass Rock is clearly on the up and might have a way to go yet given this is only his eighth lifetime start. His running style will also suit Haydock and he definitely looks as though this step-up in trip will suit him well.

3.08 Huntingdon: Oscar Clouds

Oscar Clouds could be value against the likely short-priced Imphal here.

He definitely looked as though all was not lost on stable debut for Nicky Richards last time and, given that he is closely related to Many Clouds, this step-up in trip should play to his strengths.

Oscar Clouds never lived up to his expensive price tag for Keith Dalgleish but showed promise on occasions. He has tumbled down the weights recently and runs in a 0-105 handicap for the first time.

His young rider takes off the full 10lb allowance and has never ridden a horse that went off at single-figure odds, but did okay on this one last time and got one into second place at a big price at Wetherby last weekend.