Nick Luck’s blog: A marathon Saturday

William Hill ambassador Nick Luck runs his expert eye over Saturday’s action on a busy day from Haydock, Leopardstown, Ascot and Kempton, and offers up his best bets.

Haydock

ZOOLOGY is the pick at 9/2 in the Superior Mile Stakes (1.50pm). He ran a cracker to be second in the Jersey last time and given he ran in the Middle Park – a race he was quietly fancied for – on just his second career start he must be pretty highly regarded. He’s moved to Harry Eustace now which is hardly a negative, while the way he finished at Ascot suggests this extra furlong will hold no fears either.

FRENCH INVASION looks a big price at 14/1 in the 1m6f handicap (2.25pm). Granted his first two runs this season were well below par but he was much better last time at Newmarket where he travelled into the race in the style of a well-handicapped horse. The track will suit and so will the better ground, as he showed at Newmarket.

I’ll give the old boy EUCHEN GLEN a chance in the Old Borough Cup (3.00pm) at 10/1. He might be 10 now, but he ran really well when fourth in the Ebor and has largely kept his form this season. He’s still more than fairly handicapped off a mark of 97 on the best of his form and the more the ground quickens the more he’ll like it.

Shaquille will probably win the Sprint Cup (3.35pm), but for a horse that continually misses the break, quotes of around even-money are pretty hard to get excited about. With that in mind, I’m not surprised a lot like the chances of SAINT LAWRENCE and I’m another. This horse has turned inside out since leaving Roger Varian for Archie Watson, having won the Wokingham at Royal Ascot and then running a cracker in France last time. He didn’t get a great run that day and the ground was probably too soft, so he did well to finish as close as he did. Minzaal was second in that race before winning this and Saint Lawrence might follow suit at 12/1.

Kempton

I’m backing ISRAR to topple Bay Bridge in the September Stakes (1.35pm) at Kempton. We all know an on-song Bay Bridge wins this but he hasn’t looked the same horse this season and I wouldn’t want to be taking a short price about him. Israr has always promised to be quite a smart horse without ever quite living up to his potential, but his demolition job at Newmarket last time suggests connections might have finally found the secret. He will do for me at 3/1.

It was hard not to be impressed by HELM ROCK at Newcastle and he can follow up in the London Mile (2.10pm) at 8/1. He’s gone up eight pounds for that victory, but he won with loads in hand and I don’t expect we’ve seen the best of him yet.

Ascot

Over at Ascot, I’ll take HAVANA BLUE (10/1) to bounce back in the seven-furlong handicap (2.35pm). The run last time was too bad to be true and he was progressive prior to that.

Ralph Beckett can do no wrong at the moment and his OVERACTIVE (11/2) can complete the hat-trick in the Lavazza Stakes (3.10pm). He’s won his last two nicely and I’d be pretty confident he’ll end up being rated a good deal higher than his current mark of 85.

Leopardstown

I’m hoping the first-time blinkers make the difference for MEDITATE in the Matron Stakes (2.45pm) at Leopardstown. Things haven’t really gone her way this year but she wasn’t beaten far by Tahiyra in the Irish 1000 Guineas and back on better ground, I can see her getting even closer now at 11/1.

I’m in the NASHWA camp in the Irish Champion Stakes (11/2). She’s a pretty big price considering she brings the best piece of form over 10 furlongs into the race and that run – her second to Mostahdaf in the Juddmonte International – was the best of her career. King Of Steel will certainly appreciate the step back in trip and is probably the selection’s biggest danger, although you can’t rule out Auguste Rodin just simply because if there is anyone who can get a horse back to winning in this company it’s Aidan O’Brien.