Haydock Preview: Armourer and Fallon a potent combination

Jockey Kieren Fallon has a good strike-rate when teaming up with trainer Bill Muir, and that makes Armourer look the answer to the 1m 4f handicap on this evening’s card at Haydock (9.05).

The six-times champion jockey has not ridden for Muir since 2012, but has a strike rate of just over 19% teaming up with the stable since 2000 (five winners and four places from 26 rides).

That indicates that connections are expecting a big run, and Armourer has a profile which suggests he should be capable of winning races off a mark of 66.

The gelding had just three runs as a juvenile, shaping with promise when sixth of 11 to Collaboration at Brighton on debut before posting a solid effort to finish third of 10 to Examiner over a mile at Lingfield.

The son of Azamour also ran really well on his handicap debut at Bath over 1m 2f, where after racing prominently he kept on well to be beaten four lengths by Aurelia Cotta.

That was Armourer’s first run for 155 days, and the way he stuck to the task suggested that the step to up this evening’s 1m 4f trip would suit.

In the 6f handicap (7.30), everything looks in place for Cruise Tothelimit to run a huge race.

The Ian Wiliams trained gelding is a course and distanvce winner, who got back to winnings ways when making all to land a 6f contest at Chester last September off a mark of 78.

The six-year-old now runs off just 2lb higher, and shaped as if coming back to form last time out when seventh of 13 to Bear Behind over course and distance in a class 3 contest.

The son of Le Vie Dei Colori showed plenty of pace to chase the leaders from an unfavoured low draw before weakening late on to be beaten 4 3/4 lengths, and now drops back into class 4 company.

That should enable Cruise Tothelimit to be really competitive, and he could prove hard to peg having bagged a cracking draw in stall 10.

The other bet that really appeals on the six-race card is You’re Fired who runs in the 7f handicap (8.35).