Saturday updates: soft ground rules out Hewick and The Real Whacker from Betfair Chase as Royal Pagaille challenges Grey Dawning for favouritism

Hewick will not take his chance in the Betfair Chase (3.05) after trainer Shark Hanlon decided the rain-softened ground at Haydock would be against his King George winner. 

The track took 6.5 millimetres of rain before racing began and the official going was changed to soft from soft, good to soft in places after the first race. 

There has been money for last year's winner Royalle Pagaille, who was a general 7-2 chance at the close of play yesterday evening but is now disputing favouritism at a best-priced 3-1.

Ante-post favourite Grey Dawning has been easy to back and is 3-1 joint market leader with Venetia Williams and Rich Ricci's chaser with several firms. 

Hanlon said: "We didn't need rain but it came and there'll be other days. It's disappointing because he was in really good form and had a good run the last day. You know now that when the rain comes it could rain for two or three months, so I'd say it'll nearly be Cheltenham his next run. 

"We'll train him for the King George, but we'll have to wait and see. It's the right thing for the horse as he wants a bit of nice ground."

Hanlon is due to begin a six-month suspension on December 1 and said no decision has been made about who will train Hewick during that time. 

He said: "We have nothing planned yet and in the next three days, we'll see what we're going to do. Everything will come out in the next week." 

Sore foot rules Lossiemouth out of Morgiana clash with State Man and Brighterdaysahead

Willie Mullins will chiefly rely on State Man for this afternoon's Unibet Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown (2.10) after Lossiemouth was declared a non-runner due to a sore foot.

In their reformed market, Paddy Power now go 2-9 about State Man, who will be seeking a seventh consecutive Grade 1 win and a 11th in total. 

Lossiemouth has been ruled out of the Morgiana Hurdle with a stone bruiseCredit: Michael Steele

The Gordon Elliot-trained Brighterdaysahead is now 3-1, with Sir Gerhard the next-best among three more Mullins runners at 33-1.

Lossiemouth suffered her sole career defeat when caught in traffic behind stablemate Gala Marceau at the Dublin Racing Festival in February 2023 and had been a general 11-4 chance before her withdrawal.

Punchestown gets go-ahead for Morgiana Hurdle as ground eases at Haydock for Betfair Chase

The Unibet Morgiana Hurdle fixture at Punchestown has been given the all-clear following a morning inspection, with all of Saturday's sensational action set to take place despite storms in Britain and Ireland.

Officials at Punchestown reported 19mm of rain overnight and are expecting a further 15-20mm, but they were happy to give the star-studded meeting the go-ahead at around 8am.

The ground is soft and the first race is due off 11.30.

Speaking at 8am this morning, clerk of the course Brendan Sheridan said: "We had 19mm of rain overnight and the ground is yielding to soft, soft in places. It's raining at present and we're to get another 15-20mm through the morning and up to lunchtime and then a dry afternoon. 

The Grade 1 Unibet Morgiana Hurdle is the feature race at Punchestown on SaturdayCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

"The winds aren't too bad at present and they are forecast to ease. We're good to go and are looking forward to a good day of racing."

The opening day of Punchestown's weekend fixture features the return of Champion Hurdle winner State Man in the Morgiana Hurdle (2.10) and Ballyburn's chasing debut at 12.30. 

Conditions ease for Betfair Chase at Haydock

The ground at Haydock for the Betfair Chase meeting has been changed to soft and conditions expected to ease further due to the effects of Storm Bert.

Prolonged rain and 47mph gusts are forecast throughout the day with a further 8mm of rain by the start of racing and then 5-6mm during racing.

Conditions had been good to soft overnight but could be a lot more testing with the forecast and the presence of some lying snow and ice on the back straight.

Speaking at 9am, clerk of the course Daniel Cooper said: "Since our early walk this morning we've not had any further rain, so it's going better than we might have envisaged. There is rain due but on the radar it's going around us, so we'll see what happens. Temperatures are fine and the winds are strengthening, but not to anything that looks critical. 

"The home straight is mostly good to soft and the bends and back straight are where the soft is. Unless a lot of rain comes before the first race, I'm likely to hold fire but, nevertheless, if they came back after the first and said it was soft, I wouldn't disagree."

Last week's Cheltenham winner Doyen Quest, who had been favourite for the Betfair Stayers' Handicap Hurdle (2.30), is a non-runner on account of the ground.

Last year's winner Royale Pagaille has been backed into 10-3 (from 7-2) for the Betfair Chase (3.05), with favourite Grey Dawning out to 5-2 generally (from 9-4).

Key non-runners

Haydock
12.08 7 Not Now Nathaniel
2.30 8 Doyen Quest
3.40 5 Dare To Shout

Ascot
12.55 7 For Gina
1.30 2 Le Patron
2.45 2 Salver

Punchestown
11.30 4 Ceol Draiochta
12.30 13 Only By Night

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