Haydock Grand National Trial: ante-post guide and 10-1 tip

The Oddschecker Grand National Trial Handicap Chase at Haydock on Saturday is going to have a lopsided look provided Royal Pagaille stands his ground.

Venetia Williams has indicated her course specialist is an intended runner and his presence means only four of the other 13 engaged in the £100,000 contest will be running off their correct handicaps marks.

It might be that the five-time track winner outclasses the opposition on his favourite stamping ground, although he disappointed in the Peter Marsh here last time and the topweight is going to need to take a deep breath to defy a rating of 164 on a surface that is unlikely to be as testing as he revels in.

Indeed, I would not discount the possibility of this general 8-1 chance being scratched on the day if the ground, described as good to soft, soft in places, dries out appreciably. With no rain forecast to hit Haydock this week, that is worth keeping in mind if you are considering an ante-post play.

My early fancy is the Dan Skelton-trained Galia Des Liteaux, who is available at 10-1 across the board.

She is one of those who will be favoured by Royale Pagaille taking part (or at least being declared at 10am on Thursday), as it means she will have only 10st 4lb to carry, with the majority of her rivals being wrong at the weights.

*Editor's note: Sean Bowen has been pencilled in to ride Royale Pgaille with 3lb claimer Tristan Durrell on Galia Des Liteaux. The usual jockeys of both horses look like being in action at Ascot.

Like Royale Pagaille, she copes well with slow ground, but the formbook suggests it is not essential for her. I fancy it is more a case of bringing her stamina reserves into play, but that should be offset by Saturday’s 3m 4f trip.

I fancied her for the Grand National last season, and she gave her supporters a great run for their money before fading after two out. The extreme trip, coupled with high-class opposition and a big mid-race move, found her out that day.

The nine-year-old is now in a much less competitive race over six furlongs shorter off a rating that is 6lb lower. That all adds up to her being a massive player.

Galia Des Liteaux has run creditably in the Coral Gold Cup and Welsh Grand National on her past two starts, without quite seeing things out after racing exuberantly. I’m sure she still has a bigger performance in her, and Haydock promises to play to her strengths.

Val Dancer and Jubilee Express, who dominated the finish of the Welsh National, command respect. However, I’m not sure either will be so effective at Haydock – it presents a tougher test of jumping – and they will meet Galia Des Liteaux on 14lb worse terms. They are chalked up at 6-1 and 4-1, respectively.

Fontaine Collonges (best fresh and pulled up in the Welsh National), Yeah Man (11lb higher than when winning the race last year and not had much of a break since having a hard race in the Tyestes) and Apple Away (stop-start over fences and still needs to brush up jumping) are the only other entries who will definitely be running off their correct marks.

Of the remainder, Gericault Roque made a bit of appeal at the 16-1 quoted by BetVictor because he shaped well at Windsor after a long absence and some of his back form, on decent ground, makes for solid reading.

However, he's got the dreaded bounce factor to overcome and David Pipe might not be keen on running him from 7lb out of handicap.