Haydock Placepot tips: Paul Kealy's perm for the £100,000 guaranteed pool

Haydock card is seriously competitive and the opening Grade 2 novice hurdle (12.08) may not be as straightforward as the betting suggests.

Dan Skelton's Country Mile was the early favourite, but he needs to be a country mile better than his winning formline from Ayr as he's comfortably bottom on Racing Post Ratings judged on that.

He did have something to spare, but preferred for Placepot purposes are Lily Du Berlais, who is actually a long way clear on RPRs at these weights, and Roadlesstravelled, who is 2-2 over hurdles and has been doing it nicely.

In the next (12.40), General Medrano was progressive last season, winning his first two outings, and he has also won after a wind op, so he makes some appeal in a tight heat, while the more it rains the more it will suit course-and-distance winner Netywell.

Josh The Boss and Bowenspark are the two I've backed for the third (1.15), but it's fiercely competitive, so I'll add Steel Ally, who ran a fine race in the Welsh Champion Hurdle on his return.

Iroko is very much the one to beat at the weights in the graduation chase (1.50) and he has a very good record fresh, so he's my one banker on the day.

I'll take on Doyen Quest in the big handicap hurdle (2.30) as he's far from guaranteed to appreciate softening ground.

Push The Button is the main bet, but this is hard, so I'll be adding Irish raider Backmersackme, who is bidding to give Emmet Mullins back-to-back wins in this, and Patriotik, who was noted when fifth in the Silver Trophy at Chepstow, a red-hot race for the time of year.

Grey Dawning may be favourite for the Betfair Chase (3.05), but he still has to improve, and I won't be looking past course specialist Royale Pagaille (slight worry about trainer form but has form figures here of 11211) and Ahoy Senor, who shaped so well in the Old Roan when given too much to do.

Haydock Placepot perm

12.08
3 Roadlesstravelled
6 Lily Du Berlais

12.40
3 General Medrano
4 Netywell

1.15
1 Steel Ally
6 Josh The Boss
10 Bowenspark

1.50
2 Iroko

2.30
5 Push The Button
11 Backmersackme
16 Patriotik

3.05
1 Ahoy Senor
7 Royale Pagaille

2x2x3x1x3x2=72 lines

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