Dave Metcalf has over 35 years of experience in the media industry having worked for regional and national newspapers. He is a life-long horse racing and football fan, and has done interviews on various radio and TV stations, including talkSPORT and Sky Sports, whilst working as a PR frontman for major betting firm Betfred.
Dave has written for At The Races, provided betting previews for the 2010 World Cup via a website he owned. It was the first time they had covered any football event. He also appeared weekly on Sing When You’re Winning – football and general sports betting show on MUTV to provide odds and tips alongside former Manchester United striker Lou Macari.
Last year’s winner can retain Merseyside sprint crown
Hello Youmzain looks to hold outstanding claims of retaining his crown in the 6f Group 1 Haydock Sprint Cup on Saturday (15:25)
This Kevin Ryan trained four-year-old has won five of his 11 starts. Hello Youmzain has excellent form over course and distance with two wins and a second from three outings at the Merseyside venue
He was very impressive on seasonal reappearance here last year when forging clear and beating Calyx by 3 1/4 lengths in the Group 2 Sandy Lane Stakes.
Hello Youmzain then looked like a desperately unlucky loser at at Royal Ascot when a 1 3/4 lengths third of nine to Advertise in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup. He went on to gain compensation in this contest on bottomless ground.
The son of Kodiac made all in last year’s Haydock Sprint Cup, beating The Tin Man by half-a-length. He was value for more than the winning margin, as he edged left and idled inside the final furlong.
Any further rain will be in his favour
Hello Youmzain has had just three starts this season and looked as good as ever when making a winning return to action in the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot when bravely digging deep to fend off Dream Of Dreams by a head.
He was then far from disgraced when fifth of 12 to Oxted in the Group 1 July Cup at Newmarket, before finding only Space Blues too good when beaten just three-quarters of a length in a Group 1 at Deauville.
The form of the aforementioned races set the standard in this. Hello Youmzain is a tough and consistent sort who is versatile as regards ground but loves to get his toe in.
With rain hitting Haydock and more forecast at the time of writing, he is likely to get the ground that he relishes.
Jockey Kevin Stott has also built up a great rapport with him and Hello Youmzain’s profile is rock solid. So, at 7/2 with bet365, he very much looks like the one to be on here.
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The Sir Michael Stoute trained Dream Of Dreams is also a course and distance winner, so looks sure to go well following a taking success last time out.
After winning his first two starts last season, this son of Dream Ahead ran a blinder when a fast finishing head second to Blue Point in the 2019 Diamond Jubilee over this trip at Royal Ascot.
Dream Ahead was then not at his best in three subsequent outings, but looked as good as ever on return to action. That too was at the Royal meeting when again finishing second to Hello Youmzain in the Diamond Jubilee.
He flew home under Ryan Moore after being held-up well off the pace and failed by only a head to overhaul the reigning Haydock Sprint Cup king. Given how the race panned out, it was a terrific effort.
Dream Of Dreams has since bolted up in the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes at Newbury when partnered by Oisin Murphy, who is once again in the saddle, for the first time and beating Breathtaking Look by seven lengths.
The runner-up has since gone on to land a Group 3 at Deauville to give the form a boost. Dream Of Dreams will not be inconvenienced by the drop back down to 6f.
That win has also earned him a rating of 120, the highest in the 13-runner line-up. That puts him 2lb clear of Hello Youmzain and makes him a key player.
However, Dream Of Dreams was well-beaten in this 12 months ago when eighth and five lengths behind his old rival.
That raises the question of whether he is entitled to head the betting for this year’s renewal. At 3/1 with Unibet, Dream Of Dreams thus looks worth taking on.
Lope Y Fernandez another with Haydock Sprint Cup claims
Given that he didn’t finish far behind Hello Youmzain last time out and remains unexposed as a sprinter, Irish raider Lope Y Fernandez is another that can’t be discounted.
That run came in the Group 1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deaville where the Aidan O’Brien trained three-year-old colt finished a length third of 11 to Space Blues.
After racing towards the rear under Ryan Moore, the son of Lope De Vega stayed on strongly to be nearest at the finish.
He finished a head behind runner-up Hello Youmzain, so there is not much between the pair judged on that running.
Prior to that, Lope Y Fernandez had run really well on seasonal reappearance when a 2 1/2 lengths third of 11 to Siskin in the Irish 2000 Guineas over a mile at The Curragh.
After then flopping in the Commonwealth Cup over 6f at Royal Ascot, he then went down all guns blazing by just three-quarters of a length to Pinatubo in a Group 1 contest over 7f at Deauville.
Lope Y Fernandez is clearly a classy sort and appeals as the type that has more to offer as a sprinter for his powerful connections.
O’Brien is also in fine form at present and operating a 27.5 per cent strike rate in the last 14 days at the time of writing.
Everything points to a big run, so Lope Y Fernandez appeals most from an each-way betting perspective at odds of 7/1 with William Hill.
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