Dave Nevison's horse racing tips: Kilt to trouser Haydock prize

Waxing Gibbous is a well-bred sort whose dam was Listed placed and is very lightly raced for a four-year-old. He won over 12 furlongs at Newbury on his penultimate start in very impressive fashion, suggesting she might well make up into a useful handicapper capable of doing well in a race such as this. 

She then dropped down in trip on her next start and probably found that against her, getting beaten just a neck after staying on very well in the last furlong. 

The 14 furlongs of this traditional handicap might be what she needs by now and, provided she is fit after an absence since June, I believe she can prove to be very well handicapped. 

I feel her trainer David Menuisier would have given her a prep for such a big race if he had concerns. Waxing Gibbous can be another for 1,000-up . 

Mick Appleby’s three-year-old went off favourite in a race at least as competitive as this at the Ebor meeting. And though he didn’t make the frame, he was a very-close-up fifth, doing his best work at the finish. 

He is just 1lb better off with Looking For Lynda, who finished half a length in front of him in third but might be able to turn that form around. 

He looks to be drawn perfectly in stall four here and should be able to track the speed merchants drawn just to his inside and get the perfect tow into this. 

My Racing TV colleagues who were on the track at York last time commented on how well he looked, and I doubt whether he will have lost that condition already. 

I feel Appleby’s young sprinter might improve past these rivals. 

William Haggas has had lightly-raced three-year-olds placed against older horses in the last two renewals of this handicap series final and looks to have a very good chance of having the winner here. 

was gelded over the summer and might well have needed his first run from a break last time when he was a beaten 6/4 favourite. He went down by just a length and a half to another progressive type and seems very likely to improve from that run. 

Even though this is a very competitive event, few of his rivals look to have a discernible upside. 

Haggas has his string in top form, and it looks as though has done well with the draw in stall two. 

has neither had the rub of the green nor the luck of the draw on his two latest starts and the two zeros by his name I feel can safely be ignored. 

He has done much better with the draw here, bagging stall two which is ideal on the all-weather at Kempton. 

He is also only 5lb higher than when he bolted up in another 12-runner handicap over course and distance in April. 

Ferrous attracted each-way support, despite being badly drawn, at York last time so is definitely in good nick and has plenty in his favour here.