Sport

Red Hand: Purplepay can reign for William Haggas at Pontefract

William Haggas can win Pontefract's Weatherbys Digital Solutions Pipalong Stakes for the first time with Purplepay
William Haggas can win Pontefract's Weatherbys Digital Solutions Pipalong Stakes for the first time with Purplepay William Haggas can win Pontefract's Weatherbys Digital Solutions Pipalong Stakes for the first time with Purplepay

Purplepay could prove a cut above the opposition when she lines up in the Weatherbys Digital Solutions Pipalong Stakes at Pontefract.

William Haggas has never won the one-mile Listed contest, but looks to have found the ideal candidate to place his name on the roll of honour in the form of this classy four-year-old.

She was purchased for a whopping €2,000,000 in December 2021 following some hot form in France as a juvenile and after debuting for Haggas in the Irish 1,000 Guineas, she wasted little time getting off the mark for the Somerville Lodge handler in the Group Two Prix de Sandringham.

Further big-race assignments followed and she was far from disgraced during the rest of the 2022 season, after which she was sent globetrotting and part of the Haggas squad that contested races in Australia last winter.

Although unsuccessful Down Under, she has to rate as the one to beat on her return to UK soil and with an official rating of 107 she is 12lb clear of her nearest rival on official figures.

She may have a few cobwebs to blow away here, but with nearly a stone in hand, a welcome victory could be very much on the cards.

Also attempting to return to winning ways is Summerghand who has been out of luck of late but has his sights lowered in the Iveco Daily Business Trimline At Northern Commercials Handicap.

A course-and-distance winner, the experienced nine-year-old has been running better than the bare results may suggest in some competitive heats so far this term.

However, this looks easier and with his rating falling to a mark of 100, he could be poised to take advantage.

Etihad Rail has been knocking on the door in three starts so far and it would be no surprise if he shed his maiden status in the Download The At The Races App EBF Restricted Maiden Stakes at Brighton.

The son of Fast Company was up with the pace throughout when a useful third on debut at Newbury and was again prominent when bumping into a handy winner at Leicester.

He was upped to seven furlongs at Wolverhampton most recently when hanging his chance away in the closing stages, but he is well worth another try at the distance on first outing for new handler Alice Haynes.

Richard Hughes could be the man to follow on the Tapeta at Wolverhampton and Value Added could finally open her account in the Follow attheraces On Twitter Fillies' Novice Stakes.

The King and Queen's filly has shaped like a winner in waiting in three outings so far and having been headed late on in what looked a useful heat at Windsor recently, the daughter of Iffraaj could put her growing experience to good use here.

The Weathercock House handler could also be on the board with Sharp Power in the At The Races App Form Study Handicap.

The son of Churchill relished the return to six furlongs when winning well at Windsor last week, and having escaped a penalty for that success which came in an apprentice riders' contest, could thrive once again with William Buick taking over in the saddle.

Over the obstacles at Uttoxeter, track-and-trip winner Our Scholar is hard to oppose in search of a hat-trick in the Visit stmodwenhomes.co.uk Find Your New Home Novices' Hurdle, while Walk Of No Shame will not mind a touch of cut in the ground when she bids to build on her Warwick second in the Visit stmodwenhomes.co.uk Find Your New Home Mares' Handicap Hurdle.

IRISH NEWS YANKEE

NAP Purplepay


(3.20: Pontefract)

DOUBLE Summerghand


(3.55: Pontefract)

TREBLE Etihad Rail


(6.30: Brighton)

YANKEE Value Added


(3.05: Wolverhampton)