Haydock preview: Be Friendly Handicap (15.10)

Fast Track has shaped well in his last two starts and can gain a deserved big race success in the 5f Be Friendly Handicap at Haydock (15.10).

The David Barron trained four-year-old has won three of his 11 starts, and ran a blinder on his penultimate when chasing home the thriving Red Baron in the Scottish Sprint Cup at Musselburgh.

Fast Track backed that up with a cracking sixth of 27 to Golden Steps in the Stewards’ Cup consolation race over 6f at Glorious Goodwood when keeping on to be beaten three lengths.

The son of Rail Link led home the group on the unfavoured stands side, and it was an effort which suggested he should be more than capable of winning a race of this nature.

Although now 1lb higher in the weights, Fast Track remains relatively unexposed and his current mark of 97 should not be beyond him.

The drop back to 5f, over which he has twice been successful, will also suit and with underfoot conditions holding no fears everything looks in place for a huge run.

There are plenty of dangers in a wide-open contest, and Green Door is one that can go well at a big price.

The four-year-old was a Group 2 winner as as a juvenile and showed smart form on occasions last season when trained by Olly Stevens, including when runner-up twice off a mark of 105.

Green Door also ran well when third at Newbury back in April off 100, and is now able to race off a rating of just 95.

That is the lowest the colt has run off in two years, and gives the son of Camacho major claims at the weights on the pick of his form.

Green Door also didn’t shape too badly last time out on his first start for Robert Cowell, and the Newmarket handler is renowned for rejuvenating sprinters that come into his care.