TONY CALVIN: A 16-1 chance appeals as a small-stakes play in the Temple Stakes

3.30pm Haydock – My Betting Instinct is that First is too big at 16s in Temple Stakes

A few lines on that new website lay-out…

The Racing Post changing their website lay-out has made form study rather more challenging today.

Challenging and far more time-consuming.

I appreciate all sites have to strive to improve their online offering for their customers and it always takes time to get used to change (I am trying to be even-handed here), but at the moment it’s proving a very tough sell for me.

I’m sure I’ll get over it in time, but it ain’t great and I am a little disappointed it has got this far without the option of reverting to the old site, for a transition period.

And there is missing data, too – for example, there are no Topspeed figures available for the Irish 2,000 Guineas.

The responses I have seen from the Racing Post X feed have been generalised, non-specific – and tone deaf.

And I wouldn’t be alone in thinking that, including from trainers on X.

May have to bin off stats/info section for a while

It could be that I’ll have to bin off my stats and info section while I get used to the new site – I have been playing around with it on Wednesday morning, and it seems to be so much laborious for my style of research and copy (I would write more than most).

And it took a hell of a lot of time in the first place, anyway.

The unfamiliar lay-out, unneeded clicks due to bad site planning and navigation, form pop-ups, necessitating new screens, just make it a very annoying and unsatisfactory experience at the moment.

Like I said, it is just a matter of adapting.

Moan over.

Anyway, what about Haydock?

Anyway, thankfully, I wasn’t planning to do much in the way of ante-post copy today – I am increasingly of the opinion that there is better value to be had in the day-of-race markets, though accessing that can be rather problematical – and I will just stick to the assessment of the Group 2 Temple Stakes.

The ground at Haydock has changed to soft after 12mm overnight, following on from 9mm over the weekend (as per the track’s 8.09am Tuesday update), with a going stick reading of 4.8.

There is more rain due for the rest of the day.

Indeed, looking at the 48-hour forecast, the three-day meeting starting on Thursday looks set to begin on soft ground, and it is just a matter of how it dries out from there.

The forecast is changeable.

I’m going to be working on the basis of good to soft ground (it may well be deeper) on Saturday, and that should be perfect for First Instinct – if she runs.

No idea if she is an intended runner

Cieren Fallon has just been jocked up, though that may mean little.

I have no idea if she is set to run myself (William Haggas tends to give little away to the written press about running plans, by way of stable tours and the like) but I think her price of 16s in three places was fair enough, all things considered, for all none of the 16 in here have other weekend options and the field and ante-post prices may hold up well come the day.

If she rocks up, I can’t see First Instinct being bigger than 16s, though (on the fixed-odds front, anyway).

I was reasonably encouraged by her return in the Palace House Stakes at Newmarket, behind all-the-way winner Night Raider, as she was disadvantaged by her track position there and I imagine the ground was plenty lively enough for her, too.

And hopefully that was a planned stepping stone to this meeting once again.

The betting suggests it was as she went off a weak 25s chance, and an even weaker 44.88 at Betfair SP.

Having won at this track as a 2yo, she finished an excellent short-head and ¾ length third to Symbol Of Honour and Arabian Dusk in the 6f Sandy Lane here last season (against much higher-rated opposition) – Timeform called it good to firm there, to be fair – and then she improved to beat Shagraan in a Group 3 over 5f at Newbury on officially good to soft ground in September.

Timeform called it soft that day though and, although clearly ground versatile, it sounds like connections feel she is best with a bit of dig, so the weather can do what it likes. Certainly the Newbury win was her best performance form-wise and on the clock, and I’d like soft ground for her again ideally. over this trip.

You can forgive her run in the Abbaye on her final start in 2025 as she had no chance from the widest stall in 18, though she actually ran well enough in the circumstances.

It is interesting that they are keeping a Group 3-winning filly in training at four, so connections clearly think there is improvement in there.

I have had a small bet at 16s but clearly this is a deep enough Group 2, and American Affair in particular shaped better than it appeared at York last week. It will surprise me a little if he runs here though, as that was his first outing since winning a Group 1 at Royal Ascot and I wouldn’t have thought it was ideal to go to the well again so quickly.

The 16s about him has been taken today though (the firms that went 16s cut him straight to 6s in one fell swoop ffs!), so maybe they will get him out again here sharpish.

Getreadytorumble is another one to clearly note at 11s after a luckless return behind weekend scorer Mission Central at Naas last month.

SUNDAY MORNING (9.21am)

A quieter racing week ahead thankfully, and watering cans do not need to apply at the three ITV courses next Saturday, as Haydock, Goodwood and York are set for a wet time of it next week (see below), as the current forecasts stand.

Certainly in the first half of the week, anyway.

I’ll update the forecasts on Monday, as they tend to be very changeable from a long way out.

There is only one early-closer in the UK, and that is the Group 2 Temple Stakes at Haydock.

There are currently 24 in that race , and four of those have been in action this week, including the impressive York handicap scorer Jakajaro.

Only two firms have an ante-post market on the race (I am surprised any have bothered, as interest will have been minimal), and 4s poke Night Raider is marginal favourite ahead of Asfoora and Mission Central.

Four to be wary of at this stage

I wouldn’t back Mission Central myself, as that one won at Naas today. He could back up, I guess.

In addition, Celandine, Rosy Affair and Sky Majesty are in at Haydock on Friday.

There are 16 in the race as of Monday afternoon. Mission Central is unsurprisingly one of the no-shows, as are the three horses above.

Others not confirmed look to be Ain’t Nobody, Starlust, Leovanni and Revival Power.

We also have the Irish 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas next weekend, with Aidan O’Brien holding all the aces (well three of them anyway) in the former with True Love and Precise and Gstaad in the latter.

ANTE-POST BETTING COPY

I’d seriously hold fire on betting this weekend until we see how much rain the tracks get on Tuesday.

So any copy will be on Wednesday morning from me, in all likelihood.

As of 2.24pm on Monday, Haydock is forecast 16mm, York 17mm and Goodwood 10mm, and the Curragh 12mm, through Tuesday (amounts have been changing).

Haydock is now soft after 12mm overnight, and Goodwood soft, good to soft in places, after 17.4mm.

And we only get Irish weekend entries on Tuesday afternoon, so the double entries section will not be complete until then.

ITV COURSE DETAILS FOR SATURDAY 23rd May

GOODWOOD (two-day meeting starting on Friday)

GOING: Good to soft

Going Stick: 5.5, Wed 9.15am

Soil Moisture 49.7%

Rails: Top and Bottom Bends and the Straight to the 2f marker are dolled out by 3 yards

Stalls: Straight – Stands Side 7f & 1m – Centre 1m3f & 1m4f – Outside Rest – Inside

Thursday course update: 3.4mm rain Friday – Monday 17.4mm rain Monday night into Tuesday 1.3mm Tuesday night A damp overcast day yesterday. Looking dry, sunny and warm. Outside chance of a shower on Friday evening.

Watering: 8mm on the Straight on Friday

Yr.no latest (6.42am Thursday): Hot, warm and sunny

HAYDOCK (three-day meeting starting on Thursday)

GOING: Soft

Heavy in places at 6f start and winning post

Going Stick: 4.8

Rails: All races will be run on the Outside course.

Stalls: 5f, 6f & 1m2f: Centre 1m & 2m: Inside

Thursday course update: 4mm into Wednesday. 1mm this morning. Generally overcast and dry. Max temp 21°C on Thursday

Yr.no latest (6.42am Thursday):  2.6mm Thursday, then dry

YORK 

GOING: Good, good to soft in places

Whole course verti drained

Going Stick: 6.0, Monday 3.45pm (to be updated by 8.30am Thursday)

Moisture Meter reading 42%

Rails: Rail from 9f to the entrance to the Home Straight is 10m out.

Stalls: 5f and 6f – Centre; Remainder – Inside Rail.

Thursday course update: Dry overnight and a damp, overcast early Thursday morning, with light drizzle. Recent rainfall of 14mm rain Tuesday, making 17.2mm since the Dante Meeting. Met Office Forecast;. Thursday – mainly dry and cloudy, chance of a light shower and becoming warmer, 21 degrees. Friday – Dry and warm with hazy sunshine throughout the day and light winds, 24 degrees. Saturday – dry, warm and sunny with a light westerly breeze, 23 degrees Live links to the Met Office and our Weather Station are available at www.yorkracecourse.co.uk Home Page, click through for full Going report.

Yr.no latest (6.42am Thursday): 1,5mm Thursday then generally dry and warm now, with the odd light shower

CURRAGH

20 May 8.08am – Following 6mm of rain overnight, the Curragh is good to yielding, yielding in places (Straight) & good to yielding (Round). Possibility of 2-3mm (approx) of rain overnight, mainly dry thereafter

Yr.no latest (6.42am Thursday): overcast and light showers

DOUBLE ENTRIES

1.25pm Goodwood: Aqua Bear, Archer Royal, Astrozar, Cool Molly, Crest Of Fire, First Legion, Goldwork, Langstone, Pathein, Shaman Champion, St Anton, Wechaad

1.45pm Haydock: Glistening, Lava Stream, Wemighttakedlongway (entered at the Curragh on Saturday and Sunday), It’s A Heartbeat

2pm Goodwood (only 7 entries): Bay Royale (finished second at Nottingham on Tuesday, so steer clear ante-post)

2.20pm Haydock: Aqua Bear, Archer Royal, Astrozar, Cool Molly, Crest Of Fire, First Legion, Langstone, Mayaada, Pathein, Shaman Champion, St Anton, The Resdev Scholar, Wechaad

2.40pm York: Forager, Roach Power & Seven Questions (all three set to run at Goodwood on Friday), Solar Aclaim (set to run at Goodwood on Friday), Wheels Of Fire (due to run at Haydock on Thursday)

2.58pm Haydock: Division, Figjam (set to run at Haydock on Friday),, Five Ways, Spicy Marg, Splish Splash (set to run at Haydock on Friday), Venetian Sun

3.15pm York : Dancingwithmyself, Finalise, Rock N Roll Pinkie, Lava Stream

3.30pm Haydock: NONE

3.40pm Curragh : NONE

4.05pm Haydock:  Align The Stars, Bahadur, Blazeon Five, Codiak, Kihavah, Pole Star, Premiere Ligne, Prydwen, Yashin