Martin Dixon's Saturday tips at Haydock and Ascot

Lulamba has understandably attracted a lot of attention after switching to Nicky Henderson's yard in the Donnelly ownership having won easily on his hurdling debut at Auteuil in October. However, the value of that form isn't easy to assess just yet, and Mondo Man himself is a hugely exciting recruit to the hurdling ranks having competed in top-class races on the Flat last year, including when shaping very well to finish a staying-on fifth in the French Derby before a good fourth in the King Edward at Royal Ascot. 

He's full value for his big rating of 111 on the Flat and it's so rare that horses of his calibre switch to jumping, especially as juveniles, that I'm happy to back him at a general price of 11-4, at the time of writing, against the Henderson hotpot purely on his raw ability, and the fact he's joined the Moore yard (bought for 520,000 euros) who are well capable of readying one for this job. 

A dual winner last season, Spirits Bay is a horse I've had a lot of time for since his bumper days when he looked a good prospect, and I believe he shaped promisingly enough on his reappearance at Cheltenham in December to still think there's mileage in his mark. He travelled strongly well off the pace and swept into contention before perhaps the lack of a recent run told. 

This isn't quite such a competitive handicap as that was, and I expect the tight two miles around Haydock on testing ground will be close to an optimum test for him. 

No, not that one! It's safe to say that Willie Mullins' top-class mare wouldn't be running in a three-mile handicap hurdle at Haydock, but the first incarnation, a 10yo now trained by Polly Gundry, is running here and his comeback after almost three years off the track at Newbury in November was a very encouraging effort. He finished fourth there in a competitive handicap hurdle, despite blowing up a little late on. 

He's clearly been fragile but he's entitled to be fitter and sharper for that outing and on his romp in the Grade 2 Winter Novices' Hurdle in 2021, plus the promise of his return, I think a mark of 134 is workable.