The right start for my Tent Or Yours

I hardly ever take all that much notice of tips from owners and trainers for the simple reason that they’re likely to be biased; in addition, they often don’t know much about the opposition, which is a crucial factor.

I made an exception with Kim Bailey’s Alfie’s Choice at Uttoxeter last week because he sounded pretty confident at a racing evening two nights before. Well, not only did Alfie’s Choice run miserably, he drifted from 14/1 to 20/1 on course. So much for inside information.

No such problems with MY TENT OR YOURS or SEEYOUATMIDNIGHT at Haydock this weekend. Both can be fancied in their achievements so far, the slightly quirky My Tent at the highest level and Seeyou because he possibly meets some well-known names on the right day.

It is hard to see the other two troubling My Tent Or Yours in the four-runner hurdle but Old Guard, although switching back from fences, is probably a threat and there is only 5lb between them on official ratings. Paul Nicholls is carrying all before him but it is safe to assume Nicky Henderson will have the favourite ready first time up and My Tent Or Yours will probably get much of the job done on the bridle. I think the layers will try to get him here and he may be a shade of odds against. If not, I wouldn’t play at shorter than 4/5 but this is probably the right race for him.

In the Betfair Chase the problem lies in having only seven runners. At around 8/1, I’d have made Seeyouatmidnight a very fair each-way bet. True, he has the lowest rating of the septet but you could argue that Coneygree will need the race, Silviniaco Conti is not quite as good as before and Cue Card has a bit to prove after Wetherby and is not getting any younger. Seeyouatmidnight may be able to take these along at his chosen pace and the soft ground – it’s nearly always soft at Haydock – will help him. I don’t like each-way bets where they pay only on the first two but at 8/1 or better that’s the way I’d go.

There is nothing else I like on Saturday but Henry Daly’s NORDKIC NYMPH has prospects in her chosen engagement at Uttoxeter on Sunday.