Kevin Stott’s William Hill blog: Hoping The Cookstown Cafu can score

I’ve got another good book of rides to look forward to at Haydock on Saturday. On the whole, the horses are running well which is always good to know with plenty of big festivals not far off.

Here are my thoughts on my five rides.

Haydock Saturday

I begin my rides on Saturday with Million Thanks in the mile handicap (1.10pm). I was very happy with him last time when he won at Musselburgh. He actually ran better than it looked because it’s such a sharp track up there. He’ll have learnt plenty from that run and he’s come forward plenty since, so I’m looking forward to riding him. I think the long straight at Haydock will suit and I’d expect him to be in the first three, that’s for sure.

Next up is Clarendon House in the Listed Achilles Stakes (1.45pm), who looks to hold pretty solid claims. Clearly Dragon Symbol is the one we’ve all got to beat, but he has got to put a disappointing run behind him. My horse has been running consistently for a while now and his last run in a Group 3 in France was another solid showing. Robert [Cowell] is very good with his sprinters and I’m hopeful we’ll be involved at the business end.

I then ride Volcanic Sky in the 1m4f handicap (2.20pm). He won a Group 3 in Meydan earlier this year, though his lofty rating means he has to carry top-weight. That’s never easy in these really competitive handicaps, but he has the form to feature. I’d be pretty hopeful he can be placed and anything more than that would be a bit of a bonus.

Digital runs in the six-furlong handicap (4.05pm). I mentioned I was quite hopeful of a bold showing at York, but for whatever reason he just didn’t fire. I think we’re just going to put it down to being one of those off days and hopefully he can get back on track here. We’re stepping him up to six for the first time and he’s got cheekpieces on too which will both hopefully help a bit. The draw in one isn’t ideal, so I think we’ll probably have to be handy and hopefully he breaks well. I certainly haven’t given up on him and I do think the cheekpieces will be a real help.

You had to be happy with how The Cookstown Cafu ran at York and I’m looking forward to getting on board him again in the seven-furlong handicap (4.40pm). He probably needed it a touch at York, so it was a mighty performance to get as close as he did to Samburu, who is clearly quite a smart type. He’s come on plenty since that outing and we’re expecting a big run.