TWITTER: @haydockraces

SKY BET SUNDAY SERIES DATE: Sunday 7th August 2022

LOCATION: Haydock Park Racecourse, Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside, WA12 0HQ

Racing began on common land at nearby Golborne Heath in 1752, continuing until 1898, with those fixtures mostly sponsored and patronised by members of the Newton Hunt.

Racing moved to Haydock Park – an area of parkland bounded by the towns of Haydock (to the west), Ashton-in-Makerfield (to the north), Golborne (to the east) and Newton-le-Willows (to the south) – in 1899. The Old Newton Cup is the last surviving link between the original course at Golborne Heath and the current course at Haydock Park.

Owned by the Jockey Club, Haydock Park stages more than thirty fixtures per year (Flat and jumps). Popular Flat races include the Temple Stakes (May), the Old Newton Cup and Lancashire Oaks (July) and the Sprint Cup (September).

Haydock is a left-handed oval track. Galloping in nature, the overall circumference is approximately 1m4f, with a lengthy run from the final bend of four-and-a-half furlongs.

Located in the North West of England, the racing surface must withstand some of the harshest weather patterns in the country. The fact that Haydock can provide two distinct sprint tracks - an inner and an outer course - for races run over 5f and 6f offers an asset to the Jockey Club (owners) and longstanding Clerk of the Course Kirkland Tellwright.

Four trainers saddled eight Flat winners at Haydock Park in 2021; Roger Varian (pictured) (8-28; 29%), Ed Walker (8-29; 28%; +£5.77), Richard Hannon (8-33; 24%; +£12.37) and Tom Dascombe (8-54; 15%; +£22.10). Walker narrowly missed out on the trainers’ title with hot favourite Starman just failing to reel-in the Nunthorpe Stakes runner-up Emaraaty Ana in Haydock’s September feature, the Group 1 Betfair Sprint Cup Stakes.

Dascombe (42-293; 14%) has been the top trainer at Haydock Park over the last five years. However, following a recent move away from Manor House Stables in Cheshire (now training in Lambourn), it is possible that Dascombe will see an overall reduction in Haydock runners, and winners. Mark Johnston (31-213; 15%) and William Haggas (30-134; 22%) have also enjoyed much success at the Lancashire venue.

“Haydock is a nice, fair, flat oval track with no apparent draw bias. I don’t tend to have that many runners there but as we’re continually seeking the best prize money for our owners, we’ll be looking closely at each of the Sky Bet Sunday Series fixtures. These initiatives are always to be welcomed, with even the place money offering a valuable contribution to the training fees for a considerable proportion of the season.”

Oisin Murphy and William Buick (pictured) fought out a thrilling tussle for last season’s Flat Jockeys Title which went all the way to the wire on QIPCO British Champions Day. Both rode a total of nine winners at Haydock Park in 2021, with Buick having a marginally better overall strike-rate (Buick 9-27; 33%, Murphy 9-33; 27%). Daniel Tudhope (8-49; 16%) was next best.

As long-term stable jockey to Tom Dascombe, until switching to Sir Michael Stoute in early 2021, it follows logic that Richard Kingscote (38-300; 13%) has ridden most winners at Haydock Park over the last five years. Kingscote notched a notable four-timer at the track in June 2020 with winners aboard Lauded, Brad The Brief, Ishvara, and Shady McCoy. James Doyle (24-99; 24%) and Daniel Tudhope (24-166; 14%) were joint next best in 2021.

“At Haydock, I always feel it is an awfully long home straight, although it can ride more like a two-furlong straight. You tend to see a lot of horses getting boxed-in on the rail, and sometimes from a low draw you do need luck in-running. Nevertheless, Haydock is a great track, and it is handy that there are two separate sprint tracks. The ground can change quickly, with conditions soon becoming very testing. Having a second sprint track can offer/provide hope of fresh ground.”

Four horses were unbeaten in two starts at Haydock Park in 2021 - Albahr (Charlie Appleby), Tashkhan (Brian Ellison), Mo Celita (Adrian Nicholls) and Mondammej (Antony Brittain). Albahr built splendidly on his two 7f course novice wins by going onto land the Listed Stonehenge Stakes (Salisbury) and the Grade 1 Summer Stakes (Woodbine, Canada).

Looking back further over the last five years, John Quinn’s Safe Voyage (4-6; 67%; +£27.25) and the former Dascombe inmate Great Scot (3-3; 100%; +£10.12) have excelled at Haydock Park.

A waterlogged track meant a switch in the Sky Bet Sunday Series running order for 2021, with the Haydock Park fixture rescheduled to become the third and final fixture in the series (September 12th).

Street Life (80-1) was a shock winner of the opening apprentices’ handicap under Morgan Cole (watch above), while Outgate took the 7f nursery under Nicola Currie. The ever-feared David O’Meara/Daniel Tudhope combination struck in the 1m fillies’ handicap with Turandot, before Racing TV ambassador Paul Mulrennan brought the curtain down aboard the versatile stayer Goobinator.

The success of Lezardrieux (17-2) in the Sky Bet Sunday Series Sprint Handicap ensured victory for Grant Tuer in the Stable Staff Bonus scheme. With two winners, and four placings across the three-fixture series Tuer edged out Jim Goldie for the £10,000 prize. Tuer told ITV racing; “You can’t do it without the staff, you can’t ride them all out yourself, or feed them all yourself.”